The Soka Gakkai didn’t appear first and then become filled with people. People began forming bonds with one another; their circle grew and gave rise organically to the Soka Gakkai organization. Therefore, the organization exists only and always for the sake of people; people don’t exist for the organization. Please never forget this point.
From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, pp. 114

Daisaku Ikeda

Mr. Toda had lost a child, had experienced repeated crises with his businesses, and had been imprisoned for two years for his faith in the Lotus Sutra. He later reflected that these experiences of sorrow, grief, and hardship, and of surmounting countless daunting challenges, made him ideally qualified to be the Soka Gakkai’s president. The renowned French writer Victor Hugo declared, “Great sufferings swell the soul to gigantic proportions.” From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 3, revised edition, p.94

Daisaku Ikeda

The majority of the world’s people as yet know nothing of the teachings, or even the name, of Nichiren Buddhism. Our mission is to sow the seeds of the Mystic Law—in other words, the seeds for peace and happiness—in their lives. In most cases, by simply interacting with others as true friends and communicating sincerely and openly, we will help them form a connection with Buddhism. It is also important that we continue to pray for the happiness of those individuals. Later, we may have an opportunity to talk to them in a very natural way about our Buddhism of sowing.
From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, p. 105

Daisaku Ikeda