This Holiday Season I've been thinking things are a lot different than if I was spending the Holiday Season back home in South Dakota. I mean, it's still Christmas... music, decorations, and crazy crowds in all stores. But, there are a few things you would only see here...

A Christmas tree outside... right next to a palm tree.

A truck with Christmas decorations on the front bumper and grill... with palm trees and the ocean in the background.

This is what the locals call a Christmas tree. To me, it's a Charlie Brown Christmas tree...

This window sign is part of starbucks holiday decor this year. I thought it was funny... seeing as I'm in Hawaii.

Hope you've enjoyed seeing a Hawaiian Christmas through my eyes!
Mele Kalikimaka!

I AM still alive... and I haven't forgotten

So I've come to the conclusion that doing a photo journal about where I'm at and what I'm doing is a little harder when there isn't a school being run. They all went on outreach... so now I'm not really doing much of anything worth documenting.

It doesn't help that the week after I posted my Thanksgiving blog, I was laid up with a pretty severe staph infection. Did you hear they think it was MRSA? I feel strong and brave after conquering that one... however the healing process is still happening. I'm down to a bandaid, and I'm walking normal again. Finally!

Anyway, I just wanted to inform you all... whomever you might be reading this... that I WILL resume on the photo journal... it just may be a little here and there... Christmas is just around the corner. I think I shall start there... Stop back after next weekend! I promise there will be a new one :)

Mele Kalikimaka!

Thanksgiving is here!

For the actual day of Thanksgiving, I spent it with my cousins, Joey and Ciana. They live on the North Shore.




On the YWAM base we did a grand Thanksgiving dinner all together, Wednesday night. Fun, food, friends, fellowship. Perfect!






The little turkey I'm holding was hand made by me.. idea by my friend Casey. Its an avacado with colorful leaves pushed into it and a constuction paper turkey face. I made them to be center pieces for the tables.

Sound the Trumpets!

I have decided...

I will do a photo journal.

It will be about where I'm at, and what I'm doing.

Stay tuned.

Heart for Nations

This week was 'Missions Week'.

The main goal is to reveal more about missions to our students through videos, intercession and worship times, and a thing we like to call "Nations Night".

Intercession and worship times are already a part of the DTS' weekly schedule, but we really take time to focus on nations that people on our base have a heart for, are long-termers to, or where the outreach teams are going. It just gives the students a new heart for missions on new scales. The staff prayed that this week would be a week where multiple students get a long term call to the world. I believe God is faithful in that, and because in part of a word from the Lord for this school, we as staff really believed there would be a large number of callings to the nations from this school.

Nations Night was a blast! We had Cambodia, Thailand, China/Taiwan, India, Philippines, and Kyrgyzstan represented. Each booth set up clothes, material, food and drink, and pictures from their country. Everyone dressed up from a nation or people group and walked around booth to booth to learn about each country. We also spent time interceding for all the named countries. It was awesome to not only learn about the countries, but really ask for the Lord's heart for them.

For our speaker this week we had the famous Don Richardson! It was an honor to have him, and his wife Carol, to impart knowledge and wisdom, and hear his awesome stories. I loved hearing about his time with the Sawi people of Indonesia, and all the crazy ways he shared the Gospel with the tribal people.

God is teaching me a lot personally right now. He has me stuck in the book of Lamentations, which may be odd for some, but it's totally wrecking me! God is faithful, even when things are hard. I love it! I'm still in need of quite a bit of finances for staff fees and toiletries, etc. Please join me in praying for the Lord's provision in this area. Again, in case anyone wants it, here is my address:

2707 Hipawai Place
Honolulu, HI 96822

Love and miss you all!!!

Hard times = New revelations

The last few weeks for the DTS have been so busy. But we just completed the 5th week of lectures, the topic being "Fear of the Lord/Character and Nature of God". We have thus far covered "Evangelism/Spiritual&Personal Discipline", "Spiritual Warfare", and "New Hearts"(Openness and Brokenness). Having those last couple topics back to back was really tough for some of the students and staff. So this week was a lot more easy going.
The last few weeks for me have been really tough as well, but for a lot of different reasons. All I know, now more than ever, is when you're in leadership, you are put under the microscope a lot. The Lord has been with me, though, and I am working through new things... getting to know my Lord and Savior on a whole new level. Which I love!!
The DTS as a whole is doing amazing! We will be sending out four outreach teams in the early part of December. They are going to Vanuatu, Fiji/Samoa, India/Nepal, and Thailand/Philippines. Its such an exciting thing for the students, and I love watching them learn about God and themselves so that they can go out and tell the lost people in these nations about Him. This is what I live for! :)
I am still struggling financially, so if you could help me pray for God's provision in this area of my life, it would be greatly appreciated! I can also use prayer as I continue leading this school, that I would have the Lord's heart for each student, and that He would show me how I can serve the staff.
I love and miss all of you who are not on the island terribly! Thank you for your prayers and support! Keep in touch! Oh, and Happy Halloween!

God is Faithful!

It's been one week today that I've been back here in Honolulu at the Youth With A Mission(YWAM) base. And I never knew just how much of my heart was still here until I came back and found it. My heart is complete.

We started Monday morning with staff training, and I LOVE the team of people I will be staffing with. There is a family-like unity already, and you can just tell that God has put us all here for this time and His purpose. I feel completely honored that the Lord is allowing me to be a part of YWAM Honolulu again... especially in the place they're at. The Lord has amazing things happening here, and it's really exciting to be here watching all of it take place.

Tomorrow will begin another week of staff training; Tuesday and Wednesday being all-base staff conference. I'm pumped to continue learning and growing in the Lord with everyone here. Thursday we will have a cleaning day to get the base ready for students to arrive the following week. Aloha Day, as we like to call it, is the first official day of the Discipleship Training School(DTS), which will happen on September 24th.

Please pray for me as I continue to ask the Lord for his heart for my staff and the students that will be coming. I am also still in need of financial support. Please prayerfully consider partnering with me that way.

I know the Lord has SO much for me here in this time, and can't wait to keep you all updated!! Please keep me updated on how you're doing... I miss and love you all TONS!

Elise Moslander
2707 Hipawai Place
Honolulu, HI 96822
605-228-9219
eliserachelle@hotmail.com
ywamhonolulu.com