How do we know what is happening on the side of the sun we don't see? Might it be hopping with spots while our side is quiescent, and visa versa?
The sun isn't like the moon; it rotates once a month, thus we see spots rotating around.
Also, amazingly enough, you can actually see spots on the side of the sun AWAY from us through something called "Helioseismic Holography."
http://spaceweather.com/glossary/farside.html