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KONKO MISSION OF HONOLULU January Volume 4, Issue 1 Edited by Rev. Koichi Konko Airshio*e rshio+ MAIL I check the mail box after the 10 a.m. prayer session everyday.

There are a few misdelivered letters a year, but for he most part we receive letters to the correct address every day.

If only 50% of the letters were delivered to the right place I have to be nervous every single time I sent letters. I had to expect I didn t receive half of very important letters.

I wanted to make sure this very important letter for us to be received by the US immigration. I didn t worry too much, but I paid extra to certify my letter just in case.

It would be a big problem for us because we cannot go to the next step. The check was enclosed, too. I also had to worry about identify theft. The process for the permanent visa would be late.

1 KONKO MISSION OF HONOLULU January Volume 4, Issue 1 Edited by Rev. Koichi Konko Airshio*e rshio+ MAIL I check the mail box after the 10 a.m. prayer session everyday. I bring the letters to the okkekkai toritsugi mediation to show appreciation for delivering letters to this address. There are a few misdelivered letters a year, but for he most part we receive letters to the correct address every day. I assume each letter gets delivered to the right address and expect this in my daily life. However, as I thought about this fact, I realized this was a wonderful thing. If only 50% of the letters were delivered to the right place I have to be nervous every single time I sent letters. I had to expect I didn t receive half of very important letters. I cannot live with this. Recently I sent the documents to the US immigration for my wife. This is the first step for her to get a permanent visa to move to Hawaii. I wanted to make sure this very important letter for us to be received by the US immigration. I didn t worry too much, but I paid extra to certify my letter just in case. So I received the mailing receipt for proof I sent it to the US Immigration. What will happen to my letter if I didn t deliver it correctly to the US Immigration? It would be a big problem for us because we cannot go to the next step. The check was enclosed, too. I also had to worry about identify theft. The process for the permanent visa would be late. I would have to collect all the documents even from Japan again. I would need to ask my parents to get the original documents from the city hall of my home town. I would needed to ask my wife to put her signature on some documents that will be enclosed in the letter from me. There would be a lot of mail exchange to get the same documents INSIDE THIS ISSUE January, February Schedule... 2 Shintokai General Meeting... 3 Faith Enrichment Study Tour... 3 Teaching from Konkokyo Kyoten 4 I Think... 4 Teaching of Rev. Kodama... 4 Teaching from Konkokyo Kyoten 4

to send to the US immigration once more. I don t want to have that kind of situation because it would be too much for me. I started to think I am very happy to trust the US postal service.

2 to send to the US immigration once more. I don t want to have that kind of situation because it would be too much for me. I started to think I am very happy to trust the US postal service. I can presume my documents for my wife will be delivered to the US immigration. I don t need to worry. Sure enough I received a letter from the US Immigration notifying me they received my letter and started the process for my wife. We assume things happen like we expect. Do we appreciate these basic blessings? I don t know. If it is so natural for us, we don t realize how happy we are. I didn t focus on how accurate the US postal service is before. As I had to send very important documents to the US immigration, I felt how happy I am because I can expect the letter to reach the US Immigration. I try to appreciate the delivery of letters to the right address and it reminds me of the basic daily blessing I am receiving. All of a sudden we complain and become upset for natural incidents because it doesn t happen as we expect. We don t care when it happens naturally. Maybe it is not a fair way of thinking. We don t like to experience irregular things. Are we appreciating regular things enough? We could live with appreciation for the daily basic blessings we have. As a result we can keep a good heart everyday. Maybe it is not a fair way of thinking. Short Teachings from Various Material -Kami-sama backs up whoever sits at the Toritsugi mediation seat. -Let us look to the unconditional love of the universe. -Kami-sama never gives us fruitless incidents. 2 JANUARY SCHEDULE Note: All church services will be held on Sunday, unless specified. 1 st 9:00a.m. New Year s Day Service (Sat.) 2 nd 9:00a.m. Sunday Service 9 th 9:00a.m. Monthly Service for the Founder and Successive Spiritual Leaders 16 th 9:00a.m. Sunday Service & Shintokai Meeting, Birthday Sunday 23 rd 9:00a.m. Monthly Service for our Parent Kami and our Ancestors 30 th 9:00a.m. Sunday Service & Family Sunday FEBRUARY SCHEDULE 6 th 9:00a.m. Sunday Service 13 th 10:00a.m. Monthly Service for the Founder and Successive Spiritual Leaders & New Year s Pot Luck Party 20 th 9:00a.m. Sunday Service & Family Sunday 27 th 9:00a.m. Monthly Service for our Parent Kami and our Ancestors & Board of Directors Meeting

GENERAL MEETING OF SHINTOKAI (MEMBERS ASSOCIATION) & NEW YEAR S POT LUCK PARTY DATE: FEBRUARY 13, 2011 TIME: WHO: AFTER THE MONTHLY SERVICE AT 10 AM (APPROXIMATELY 11A.M.) MEMBERS OF KONKO MISSION OF HONOLULU & THEIR FRIENDS NOTE: PLEASE NOTIFY US OF THE FOOD YOU ARE BRINGING (KONKO_KO1@HOTMAIL.

3 GENERAL MEETING OF SHINTOKAI (MEMBERS ASSOCIATION) & NEW YEAR S POT LUCK PARTY DATE: FEBRUARY 13, 2011 TIME: WHO: AFTER THE MONTHLY SERVICE AT 10 AM (APPROXIMATELY 11A.M.) MEMBERS OF KONKO MISSION OF HONOLULU & THEIR FRIENDS NOTE: PLEASE NOTIFY US OF THE FOOD YOU ARE BRINGING (KONKO_KO1@HOTMAIL.COM OR ) The 2010 Financial report, 2011 budget report will be done by the treasurer of the Shintokai before the pot luck party. We will recite Grace before meal and enjoy food. There will be door prizes and bingo game. As Ohana of the Konko Mission of Honolulu lets get together and talk story! FAITH ENRICHMENT STUDY TOUR TO KONKO TOWN PLACE: KONKOKYO HEADQUARTERS, OKAYAMA, JAPAN DATE: JUNE 9 JUNE 17, 2011 The Konko Missions in Hawaii will hold the Faith Enrichment Study Tour to Konko, Japan. Konko Town is the place Ikigami Konko Daijin lived after he was adopted until he passed away. He initiated the Konko Faith in Konko town. It is the birthplace for Konkokyo and is always a good experience to visit the root to feel the Founder s life and faith. All members of the Konko Missions in Hawaii are welcomed. Room and board at Konko Town, transportation between the Kansai Airport in Osaka and Konko town are prepared by the Konko Missions in Hawaii. We will experience below: Toritusgi medation of Konko-sama, the principal mediatior, the KMH young ministers presentation, Young believers gathering in Japan, Music festival, Konkokyo Independence Service, Lecture by Rev. Hiroshi Takebe, director of Konkokyo research institution with English interpretation and visitation of Konkokyo facilities and places such as Konkokyo Seminary, Konkokyo research institution, and Founder s birth place. For more information please call Konkokyo Hawaii Center at or kmhcenter@hawaiiantel.net. Please apply by March 31, Short Teachings from Various Material -Value each and every day. -People don t know Kami-sama s heart. -Practicing faith through praying for others before for you. Both others and you will receive divine blessings. -Good news happens to people who express gratitude everyday. -Faith is the power to find something good, something appreciative, and something joyful near us in daily life. -Don t forget the root of blessings, who you are, and the beginning of what you are granted. -Do you know how others feel about you? You need to reflect yourself. -Do you have faith with Kami or without Kami? Your faith is Kamicentered or selfcentered? 3

4 Short Teachings from Various Material -Try not to have too much Thinking about only me, I am always right, and self-assertive act. -We may depend on and believe in people, but we must depend on and believe in Kami-sama. -Use past experience to grow for the future. -We have to request, pray and do your best for it. We need to reform our heart to fulfill the prayer. -Solving the problem is not divine blessings, but the process of getting over the problems is the blessing. -It is important for people who have faith to have a joyful heart as others are happy. -When we are based on human emotion for life, we may make wrong decisions since our heart is not pure and dulled because of emotion. Kami-sama s blessings and favors cannot be reflected in our heart. Be based on faith instead. 4 TEACHING FROM KONKOKYO KYOTEN Someone told me that Konko-Sama said, If someone hits you, ask him if he hurt his hand. Then he won t hit you again and there won t be a fight. To be forgiving and patient is most important. If I practice faith, this is how patient I have to be. I think practicing true faith is very difficult. It s easier said than done. [Konkokyo Kyoten Gorika I Teachings of Konko Daijin, Hataya Koichi # 5 page 19, Konkokyo Honbu 1987] I THINK... I have heard Jesus Christ said something like, If someone hits your right cheek, show him your left cheek. This is telling us fighting back is not good. It doesn t make sense; I think it just make worse. Ikigami Konko Daijin said the similar words and told us to try to understand the feeling of the person. A person hitting you represents opponents or incidents that hurt us. Ikigami Konko Daijin said don t have negative feelings against them. Instead accept and pray for them. Forgiveness and patience are the element to solve the problems. Hatoya, Koichi expressed his feeling, it is very difficult. I totally agree with him. In my case I tend to focus on finding or making reasons to complain, in the process my negative feeling multiples. So I try not to increase the feeling and understand the situation and the reasons why it happened objectively. Accepting and doing something for them without negative feeling is forgiveness. To accept as is and try to understand reasons we need patience. One senior minister told me, Your enemy now can be your best friend in the future. I think not only the person but also incidents that could benefit us all with the Konko Faith. TEACHING OF REV. MASAYUKI KODAMA When an older person meddles or pokes his nose too much or too often into what a younger person is doing, the younger person will say that he is not a baby. Let us see what kind of a life a baby lives. A baby does not do any work; he is fed; he is clothed; he is put to

bed; he is awakened; he is cared for and loved; he is kept amused; he is played with; and he is allowed a life of ease and comfort. Such is a life of a baby, a life of having things done for him.

5 bed; he is awakened; he is cared for and loved; he is kept amused; he is played with; and he is allowed a life of ease and comfort. Such is a life of a baby, a life of having things done for him. If we look around carefully we can see people who are 60 years old or even 70 years old who are living this baby s life. These people want to live a life of ease and comfort and have Kamisama do things for them; have the church do things for them; have children do things for them; have brothers and sisters do things for them; have the spouse do things for them; have friends do things for them; do as they please; and they want good luck or good fortune to come their way. These are still a life of a baby. Such people want Kami-sama to be the greatest Kami-sama; Budda to be the greatest Budda; the church to be the best (biggest) church; the minister to be the most famous minister; and want to marry the very best person. Reverend Masayuki Kodama ( ) Founding minister of Konko Mission of Honolulu. By living this adult life, this life of a parent, our Founder was able to see and understand Parent Kami, called Tenchi Kane No Kami-sama. Why? Because to have things done for them the other party must be the most powerful. This is a life desired by those who have meguri. Opposed to this life of meguri is a life of an adult, a life of a parent. Such a life wants to feed; and to clothe; to care and love; to amuse; to play with; and to help Kami-sama; to help the church; to help minister; to help parents; to help children; to help brothers and sisters; to help the spouse; to help friends; and to help improve one s heart, one s body, and one s finances. This is the life of an adult, a life of a parent. This is a life with toku or virtue, the Konko Founder, Ikigami Konko Daijin s life. By living this adult life, this life of a parent, our Founder was able to see and understand Parent Kami, called Tenchi Kane No Kamisama. This Kami-sama is different from the Kami-sama who is considered arigatai by those who live a life of a baby. Therefore, we can only say we are really saved or have found salvation when we can help improve each and everything. November 22, 1965 Translated by Mr. Norman Kobayashi Born in Fukuoka, Japan in Ordained Konkokyo minister in 1926, and moved to Honolulu for missionary work in Established Konko Mission of Honolulu in Interned for 2 years and sent back to Japan. Served at the Headquarters of Konkokyo while staying in Japan. Returned to Honolulu in 1950 and devoted himself to missionary work until passing away in He fostered disciples such as Rev. Haruko Takahashi (Established Konko Mission of Wahiawa), Rev. Santaro Sonoda (Established Konko Mission of Waipahu), Rev. Kiku Horibe (Established Lihue Propagation Hall), and Rev. Takiyo Nakai (Established Konko Mission of Wailuku). [In Memory of The Late Reverend Masayuki Kodama Konko Mission of Honolulu 1988]

6 KONKO MISSION OF HONO- LULU Daily Prayers: Weekdays 5:30 a.m. 7:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 7:30 p.m. Sunday 5:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. (Subject to Change) 7:30 p.m. Reverend Koichi Konko will visit Japan from January 30, 2011 to February 6, 2011 to attend the 60-year Memorial Service of the Reverend Matsutaro Yasutake, the founding minister of the Konko Church of Amagi held on February 4, KONKO MISSION OF HONOLULU 1728 Liliha Street Honolulu, Hawaii Phone: Fax: Konko Missions in Hawaii Church Directory Konkokyo Hawaii Center Konko Mission of Wahiawa Administrative Office 207 Muliwai Avenue 1744 Liliha Street Suite 304 Wahiawa, Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii (808) (808) Konko Mission of Hanapepe Konko Mission of Hilo c/o Rev. Setsuko Okuno 58 Huapala Lane 1544 Molehu Drive Hilo, Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii (808) (808) KONKOKYO Konko Mission of Waipahu Mokukaua Street Waipahu, Hawaii (808) Konko Mission of Wailuku 2267 Mokuhau Road Wailuku, Hawaii (808) (808) yasutake-maui@hotmail.com

Airshio*e rshio+ SENSE

KONKO MISSION OF HONOLULU February Volume 4, Issue 2 Edited by Rev. Koichi Konko Airshio*e rshio+ SENSE I opened the back door of the church to go outside at night. I recognized sweet smell that I know.