Thoughts on "THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN"

Greetings and Salutations to All my Kith and Kin and All the Ships in Outer Space:

Today is my birthday, and I, along with the rest of my "Baby Boomer" generation, have officially become "old", as I'm now SIXTY!

(WAAAAUGH!!! Oh, horrors!)!!!

Although I'm morbidly obese, I indulged in making myself sick eating a whole bunch of chocolate candy, while watching a wonderful movie, "THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN", on the Showtime Channel of cable television.

It's odd that the Showtime Channel would show something as positive and spiritually uplifting as "THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN".

After all, most of Showtime's contemporary programming seems to be centered around promoting homosexuality, illegal drugs, and mocking Christian religion.

Here is a web site URL where you can read about the movie:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250371/

Watching the movie reminded me of the great difference in the values with which I was raised, and the values that are taught in a Latter-day Saint home.

It recalled a conversation I had with my companion, when going home teaching in Saint Anthony, Idaho.

He had never been in military service, but had dutifully served a full-time mission for the Church.

I had never served a Church mission, but was a military war veteran.

I was raised a Methodist, in a segregated all white small town in North Carolina, the son of a career sergeant in the United States Army.

I grew up knowing that the most important thing I could do with my life would be to serve honorably as a soldier in time of war.

In a Latter-day Saint home, boys are taught that the most important duty they can fulfill is to serve an honorable mission for the Church, followed by marriage and family.

As I watched the movie about John Groberg's thoughts and experiences in Tonga, it reminded me of my own youthful military travels to colorfully exotic foreign lands, and how, at that time, I wished I had a female companion to share it with.

I think it's great to see positive Hollywood major motion picture productions about "Mormon" people and beliefs.

I enjoyed seeing this movie portraying baptisms being properly done, as our Lord has directed.

I've noticed that most movies, even the ones filmed in a "Mormon" community, almost always use the Catholic Church as their example of Christian religion.

I suspect that is due to the glitzy costumes, symbols, and rituals of the Catholic Church, which are very photogenic, and perfect for Hollywood hoopla.

Latter-day Saint church services are NOT photogenic by Hollywood standards, being plain and unpretentious, having no professional clergy, and without even a cross being displayed.

The only Mormon costumes or rituals would be inside of the temple, which can never be shown to the general public, nor even discussed outside of the temple.

Being a convert in the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints (i.e, the so-called "Mormon" church), I consider the movie, "THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN" to be an excellent vehicle for sharing our peculiar Mormon beliefs with those not of our faith.

It will give non-Mormons a little insight into how and why Mormons think, feel, and act as they do.

A VHS video of "THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN" is currently available for loan in the library here at the Ol' Soldiers' Home in Washington, D.C., and the movie has been shown in our theatre.

Thank you.

John Robert Mallernee, KB3KWS
Official Bard of Clan Henderson
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Washington, D.C. 20011-8400

"My personal opinions are independent of my Scottish clan."