Your welcome letter has rejoiced my heart. I am sending you some Bahá’í literature which I trust will guide and assist you in your work. I shall be delighted to hear from you directly and regularly and please rest assured of my deep interest in your work and of my fervent prayers for the success of your labours. Your brother and well-wisher, Shoghi (October 22, 1925) [Letter of January 12, 1930] To the Bahá’ís of Tokyo Shoghi Effendi wishes me to acknowledge receipt of your joint letter enclosed in Miss Alexander’s note. Shoghi Effendi hopes that through the combined efforts of the Bahá’ís of Tokyo, the Cause will establish a strong center in that city and then begin and radiate its spiritual light to neighboring localities. Now that Miss Root is with you, you should endeavor to awaken new competent souls and then when she is gone strive to ground them firmly in the teachings. (signed by Ruhi Afnan) (January 12, 1930) [Letter of December 24, 1930] (in the Guardian’s handwriting) Assuring you of my fervent prayers for you all at the Shrine of Bahá’u’lláh. Your true brother, Shoghi To Miss Agnes Alexander, Miss Martha Root, Mrs. Antoinette Naganuma, Miss Elizabeth Dawe He (the Guardian) was very happy to hear of your very nice and interesting gathering when Miss Martha Root was there. He sincerely hopes that her short stay will bear wonderful fruits and be the cause of guidance to many souls. Such persons who travel from one country to another, meeting the friends and exchanging thoughts with them, achieve a great part in strengthening the link between the new friends in different parts of the world. They give a new spirit and impart courage and perseverance to those who feel disappointed and overwhelmed by the greatness of the task laid before them. (signed by Ruhi Afnan) (December 24, 1930) [Letter of March 5, 1931] To Mr. Tokujiro Torii I am directed by Shoghi Effendi to write and express his great pleasure over the receipt of your kind and happy letter of January 2. He was very happy to hear from you, to learn that you are well and increasingly enthusiastic about the Bahá’í Faith. He prays from the bottom of his heart that the Almighty may help and strengthen you to render valuable services to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh and also to assist the cause of the blind which is in itself a great Bahá’í service. He deeply regrets that you are handicapped by your early loss of eyesight, but a spiritual light illuminates and guides you and through it, he hopes you will become a channel to His Grace. It is unfortunate that despite the eager and persistent endeavors of our devoted sister Miss Agnes Alexander, no permanent and thriving centre has yet been established in Japan. But he trusts that soon a special endeavor will be made to establish an active group who will be able to translate the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh and make them known to the people of Japan.