Clear direction from Sensei

"Everything has a purpose, a mission. The mission of flowers is to bloom. The mission of the sun is to give off light and warmth The mission of water is to flow, to purify and to nourish life.
You and I are Bodhisattvas of the Earth, born into this world to actualise the fundamental mission of kosen-rufu, Failing to do so is like a flower that doesn't bloom or a sun that doesn't shine. In that case, we cannot know true joy or fulfilment.
It is of course important to do our best and become foremost employees at our places of work, but we also mustn't forget why we are living - that is, to contribute to others and to society. In short, it is to realize kosen-rufu, an undertaking to eliminate misery from the world and bring happiness and peace to all. Never forgetting our primary purpose, we need to become victors in our workplaces, establish wonderful families and develop ourselves into trusted members of the community and people who are genuinely happy and fulfilled. That is how we demonstrate the power of Buddhism."
-Daisaku Ikeda, Value creation May 2015

My mission as a bodhisattva of the earth

Till quite recently in my practice, every-time I used to face a personal problem, the guidance I would get from my seniors in faith would revolve around three things -

1. Mentor
2. Kosen-rufu
3. Mission as bodhisattva

And it used to irritate the hell out of me!(still does sometimes...shhh)

Simply because I was looking at this practice as a fix for my problem rather than seeing my problem as a fix for my practice and hence life.

Lost me there, didn't you. Don't worry... I lost myself there too. Let me try and explain.

So how I saw this was -
1. have a problem? 
2. will chant, study, attend meetings, tell others about philosophy ie "kosen-rufu" 
3. Will overcome problem. Happiness abounds...

The actual equation and its rationale according to what I have understood:

1. have a problem? Good. I asked for this problem aeons ago when I raised up my hand to say "I will contribute to propagating the Law in the latter day of the law by overcoming this problem and showing actual proof that the Law works! So this is actually my mission."
2. Will chant, study, attend meetings, tell others about this philosophy while at each moment developing an ichinen to contribute to kosen rufu with my secular actions ie gaining trust at work, establishing unity with my better half, and fostering friendships in my environment, thus living the law 24/7 and not only when I am chanting/attending meetings.
3. Will overcome problem for Kosen rufu - so that others are encouraged by my experience of not only overcoming the problem and turning poison into medicine but also by my upbeat and encouraging demeanor while I was neck deep in the problem.

Tadaaaa! so the answer there is to have mission-oriented faith rather than benefit oriented faith. And don't you worry about benefits. In benefit-oriented faith, what you get is a trickle compared to what you get in a mission-oriented faith ...which is more like a dormant volcano come to life!!!

Sensei' on Mission and Not Begrudging One's Life: NHR excerpt

"The crucial thing to remember is that what you decide to devote yourself to or give your life to is what determines whether your life will be happy or unhappy. The Daishonin teaches us that the highest and most fundamental kind of devotion is to the Gohonzon of the oneness of the Person and the Law - that is, to Nam-myoho-renge-kyo."
Shin'ichi spoke with increasing force: "More specifically, we might say that this devotion is dedicating ourselves to the realisation of kosen-rufu, with the resolve to widely propagate Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and the Gohonzon of the oneness of the person and the Law as our lifes' purpose and lifelong goal. This is the path that leads to absolute happiness.
"I'm sure some of you regard expressions such as 'not begrudging one's life' and 'dedicating one's life to Buddhism' as encouraging a sort of self-sacrifice, some kind of tragic self-immolation. but the state of mind underlying the kind of devotion I am talking about is entirely different. It is a state of complete, self-assured calm adn peace, a state utterly without fear.
"Devotion to the Mystic Law means breaking through your 'lesser self,' the small you that has been driven and hounded by all kinds of petty, selfish wants and desires. It means returning to your greater self,' the self that is one with the universe, that is as vast as the cosmos itself. When that happens, you will shine with your highest human potential. The process by which this comes about is called human revolution."
From NHR volume 6, Young Eagles Chapter.

Wonderful Guidance on Attitude- NHR excerpt

Shin'ichi to Yoriko Ueno(WD) in context of having moved from Japan to Tehran and having a very lonely and unpleasant time of it:

"Dont you think you may be idealizing your life in Japan and, then, by constantly comparing it with your life here in Tehran, making yourself miserable and depressed? I'm sure you also had your fair share of problems even when you were in Japan, didn't you?"...

..."Nobody is perfect. Nor is there a perfect living environment where everything will be just the way you want it. It seems to me that you may be setting impossibly high standards for yourself..and for your everyday circumstances. You then try to make everything measure up to these unrealistic standards...

..."It's kind of like looking at a plum tree based on an expectation that it is a cherry tree. You say, 'What a strange looking cherry tree!' and end up being disappointed. Instead you should try to see things more flexibly and not get caught up in the rigid idea that things must be just the way that you have painted in your mind they should be."

Shin'ichi patiently continued to address Yoriko Ueno: "I realise it may be difficult for you because you can't get used to living here in Tehran. But no matter where you go, there will be some degree of difficulty or unpleasantness. It's the same for everyone, no matter where or under what circumstances they live. No place or person is 100% perfect. You should set life here, not life in Japan, as your standard. Since this is your reality, you first have to accept it as it is and then take a close look at it.

"The Sutra speaks of 'perceiving the truth exactly as it is.' Though this is a reference to the Buddha's wisdom, it is also very relevant to our own lives. Rather than being attached to and constrained by idealistic standards that you've created for yourself, you should look hard at reality just as it is, then try to discover some positive or enjoyable aspect and turn them to good account."

"The same goes for you yourself. You are you, no matter where you go. Nothing is served by envying others. All people have strengths and shortcomings. Therefore, all you have to do is look at yourself, discover your good points and then try to develop them further. This, too, will create something of value."

Yoriko Ueno responded: "Yes, I know you are right. But although I can understand what you're saying intellectually, when I think of having to stay on here, my feelings of dislike of this place get the better of me."
"That's precisely why faith is so important,"Shin'ichi continued. "When you reach a deadlock, that's the time to chant daimoku. When you chant, you can see yourself, and your environment exactly as they are. You'll also bring forth strong life force and gain the strength you need not to be defeated by your weaknesses. And more importantly, you'll awaken to the mission that has brought you here to Iran."
"Do you mean I've come here because I have some kind of mission or purpose to fulfil?" she asked.
"Ofcourse," Shin'ichi assured her. "All children of the buddha have a mission. From now on, more and more japanese will be coming to Iran to work and live. Among them, there are bound to be other Gakkai members and also women like yourself who feel lonely finding themselves in a strange land. It would be wonderful if you could some day use your experience of living in this country to help and encourage such people."

Who is The Truly Valuable?

"THE real greatness of human beings lies not in being active on the gorgeous stages. A person who lives his/her life to fulfil his/her own mission, whether in a remote region or in some inconspicuous field of society, is the most valuable person." - Ikeda Sensei