John Groberg, a farm kid from Idaho Falls, crosses an ocean to become a missionary in the remote and exotic Tongan islands during the 1950s.

John H. Groberg, 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. exotic Tongan island kingdom during the 1950s. He leaves behind a loving family and Jean, the true love of his life. 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. Groberg's Tongan odyssey will change his life forever.—Mary Jane Jones

John H. Groberg, eldest of seven lower-middle-class sons in Idaho Falls, Idaho, is prepared to win the hand of his true love Jean before he graduates and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints sends the young 'elder' as missionary to the South Sea kingdom of Tonga. She stays in the States, resisting John's rival Edward's courting while they write. John is assigned the tiny island of Niuatoputapu, with only one companion, the studly English-speaking 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 God's punishment when poor John's 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 John's 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 loses Feki and the regional president scolds him, mainly for neglecting the administration about which he was never instructed.—KGF Vissers