A HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of our members and friends.
We held the first Rainbow Workshop on September 10th at the Nichiren Mission of Hawaii. Members studied the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and the life of Nichiren Shonin. In October, we had a Japan tour and visited Minobu-san Kuonji, Ikegami Honmonji and other temples. At Nakayama Hokekyoji, we were lucky to see Nichiren Shonin's handwritten documents which were written over 750 years ago. It was a very significant year for us.
The Nichiren-shu Order will start a special propagation campaign for "Rissho Ankoku Odaimoku Kechien Undo". "Rissho Ankoku" means to spread peace throughout the world by establishing the true dharma. "Odaimoku Kechien" means to sow the seed of the Odaimoku by chanting it.
Chanting the Odaimoku does not only come from our mouth but also from our soul and through the way we live our lives. Nichiren Shonin teaches us, "We must put into practice the teachings of the Lotus Sutra in all phases of life." He asserted that it is not true practice if we only understand it with our minds. Instead, he said, we must devote our heart and soul to the fullest when reading or chanting the sutra.
To practice the Lotus Sutra with one's action, voice, and spirit is to hold it "through three karmas. We should lead our daily lives in accordance with this teaching.
We must endeavor to realize our Founder Nichiren Shonin's wish of spreading the Odaimoku all over the world to achieve happiness for mankind and world peace.
I wish good health, happiness and prosperity to all of you throughout the year of 2007.

 New Year's Message
By Eric Kawatani, President

On behalf of the Board of Directors of our Mission, Happy New Year to all of you. 2007 will be a year of many changes and challenges.
First, Rev. Chishin Hirai, who has been with us for many years will be leaving to become the General Manager of the Nichiren Buddhist International Center in Hayward, California effective February 1, 2007. This is a great promotion for Rev. Hirai but a great loss for our Mission. Rev. Hirai will be able to direct the resources for the U.S. propagational efforts of the Nichiren Shu with the skills he has displayed with the publications of our 100th anniversary history book and our upcoming Rainbow Conference Steering Committee mission handbook. Second, Rev. Chisen Maeda will be leaving sometime in 2007 since his five years visa period will be expiring. Rev. Maeda came to Hawaii almost five years ago with a developing skill in English and with his personal commitment, was able to develop a working fluency in English to minister our Mission. We hope these losses will not affect our ability to operate our missions. We therefore, ask for your help especially this year to volunteer your time to assist the remaining ministers.
At New Year's, I would like to restate again what our ministers have taught us: through the teachings of the Lotus Sutra and Nichiren Shonin, we each have the great potential for Buddhist salvation - Enlightenment. But, it does not stop there. Through our practice, which includes praying at home, participating in the O-Higan, O-Bon, and other Mission services as well as observing the memorial services, we are able to share that great potential with our families. That includes our ancestral families all the way to our families in the future. As we bring light to our families, we bring that light back into our lives also. Buddhism is a very compassionate, social and family-based faith. We urge you to bring your families to the Mission and ignite that light which we all were born to develop.
We pray for your continued health and prosperity during this New Year of the Boar.