Donate & keep LugaTv alive
, a middle class kid from Idaho Falls, crosses the Pacific to become a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint missionary in the remote and exotic Tongan island kingdom during the 1950s. He leaves behind a loving family and the true love of his life, Jean. Through letters and musings across the miles, John shares his humbling and sometimes hilarious adventures with "the girl back home", and her letters buoy up his spirits in difficult times. John must struggle to overcome language barriers, physical hardship and deep-rooted suspicion to earn the trust and love of the Tongan people he has come to serve. Throughout his adventure-filled three years on the islands, he discovers friends and wisdom in the most unlikely places. John H. Grobergs Tongan odyssey will change his life forever.
John H. Groberg, oldest of seven lower middle class sons in Idaho Falls, Idaho is prepared to mischief to win the hand of his true love Jean before he graduates and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint church sends the young elder as missionary to the South Sea kingdom of Tonga. She stays in the States, resisting Johns rival Edwards courting while they write. John is assigned the tiny island of Niuatoputapu, with only one companion, the English-speaking studly Tongan youngster Feki, who corrupts Groberg to Kolikpoki and patiently helps him learn the local ways. Even after learning the Polynesian language, mission work seems as daunting as the local elephantiasis bug. The old minister of the local Biblical church most islanders belong to stops at nothing to discredit his rival, even calls its Gods punishment when poor Johns bare foot-soles are badly nibbled at by rats. Yet seemingly resuscitating a boy brought in by desperate father Kuli, who believed him dead, gets Johns conversion and building work properly launched. A hurricane lays waste to the island. After recovering from the disease the fresh water shortage caused, and burying the rival minister, John is finally promoted to district leader, but looses Feki and the regional president scolds him, mainly for neglecting the administration he was never instructed about.
Christopher Gorham
John Groberg
Anne Hathaway
Jean Sabin
Joe Folau
Feki
Nathaniel Lees
Kelepi
Miriama Smith
Lavania
Alvin Fitisemanu
Tomasi
Peter Sa'ena-Brown
Kuli
Whetu Fala
Asi
Apii McKinley
Noli
Paki Cherrington
Minister
Jeremy Birchall
Edward
Ross Duncan
John's Father
Maggie Harper
John's Mother
Rick Leckinger
Photographer
Brian Richards
Crowd Member #1
Vernon Pribble
Crowd Member #2
Anita Schiller
Crowd Member #3
Norman Forsey
Old Sailor
Related Movies
Donate & keep LugaTv alive