Last June, Lawrence was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, a cancer that
spreads as part of the immune system. Throughout the treatments he remained optimistic, with his sweet wife and family by his side. I asked him how he was now and he said “I’m doing amazing now, life is great as always! I graduated and now I work at Skywest! I’m having a blast.” You’ll recognize his goodness and optimism throughout this feature, and I am confident you will be uplifted by his outlook. I know I have been. Also, when you get the chance take a look at his blog, Words of Wortham, which takes you on his journey of overcoming cancer and really LIVING. Meet Lawrence.

What are some ways you have found joy in every day life?
Family for sure! I love my family and I am so grateful for my wife, Nina, sticking by me and staying optimistic and strong. I can’t imagine how difficult it must be to have to help take care of a loved one and really not be able to do much about their pain or situation. Regardless, she was with me and there for me every step of the way even when I was being a baby and difficult to be around. I love riding my motorcycle it is so freeing and enjoyable. Nothing like cruising through the beautiful mountains of Southern Utah its gorgeous here. We also love to hike. On our days off together pick a mountain, pack a lunch, and bring Zoey our dog and just explore. So much fun to get into nature and connect and clear your mind. There is healing power in the serenity of nature. Also music, I have always been a musician ever since I was a kid. It is something that I love and enjoy very much. Music is a way to express yourself and something for others to enjoy. When playing in a group you connect with them it’s an unspoken language and when you are in sync it’s a very exciting feeling and experience.

Since being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, have you ever asked, Why me? What answer did you get? (did you resolve it on your own?)
Yes I did once. I was very optimistic from the beginning. Being a wrestler in high school and on the collegiate level I have always been one to take on a challenge. Things were not going very well for us at one point in the beginning of the cancer discovery, and I was humbled and finally in a special private moment I did ask why me. I really wanted to know why and for what purpose was I having this experience because I’m young, very active, healthy, and strong. I do what I’m supposed to and don’t normally question why bad things happen to me. I’ll include a letter and experience that I wrote to my mom right after I had this experience. You can use what you need from it I don’t mind I have shared it with others and have used this experience in firesides for the LDS church.

After browsing your blog,  the Words of Wortham: Do It, Do Good, and Keep Doing It , I feel I have a firm grasp on the type of person you are. Optimistic, kind, adventurous, the kind of person that has come to say “Challenge Accepted” – are these assumptions correct? In what way has the life you have lived and the current life you are living, been reflective of my outsiders perspective?
Yeah I’d say those assumptions are true. I’m no superman though, roller coasters and spiders still freak me out. I’m working on that. I believe that everyone is special and capable of doing amazing things. You have to really come to know yourself and your potential to confidently say “challenge accepted.” I love this quote by Sir Winston Churchill:

“To each there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.”

I try hard to be myself. I think that I’m a good person and capable of doing great things. I have found from my own experiences that I am happy when others are successful around me and they are happy. If I can brighten someone’s day or be there for another and let them know that if they need a friend or someone to be there for them then I have done that very special thing Churchill talks about that I am capable of. If you can, expound on “Do it, Do Good, and Keep Doing It” for us.Lets see “Do it, Do Good, and Keep Doing It” that’s been an axiom in my life. A past prophet/leader (Spencer W. Kimball) in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints to every man there comes in his lifetime that special moment when he is had a little plaque quote on his desk that simply read: Do It. He lived by that motto. When I heard that I thought about what that meant to me and what kind of person I wanted to be. I realized that I wanted to be a “do-er” I wanted to be a person that just did what they felt was right. The type of person that reached out and helped others not because I should or that I could, but because I wanted to. I have seen as I have had that attitude that I really enjoy helping others and it’s a lot easier to do than you would think. I remember the times talking myself out of helping someone move or doing something for someone else, but I have seen the happiness of others from setting my selfishness aside. A funny thing happens when you do that. You’re happier after helping another than if you came up with an excuse to not help. So I expanded Kimball’s motto for myself and this also goes with Chruchhill’s quote too. When given an opportunity to do something good, on any scale, you just have to make the decision to Do It, and when you Do something Good then you Keep Doing It. Never be afraid to do something good.

Why did you decide to start your blog?
Honestly? Well when this all started back in June everyone wanted to know how I was doing and wanted updates on the cancer. My phone was constantly going off like crazy and some people were getting upset if I didn’t call them right away with any new news. I just wanted to focus on healing and resting and getting better. The phone and updating was really wearing me out. So I did the blog to keep everyone updated at the same time. Turned out to be a really relaxing way to express myself. People seemed to really like the blog and stuff I was writing. I wasn’t intending to be “inspirational” like I’ve had many people say or to write a book about this whole experience like others have pushed. I honestly did it to get everybody off my back. I laugh about it but it has become a fun thing to do and lots of people enjoy it. I always have a reoccurring resolution in life to keep a better journal and this has been an easy way to do that.

I was told you are a musician, in what ways has playing music helped you commune with your spirit? God?  
I love music. I love to play, I love to listen, I love to write, I just love music. There is some sort of power in music that moves people and reaches into their soul and touches them. I mean look at how many times you unintentionally find your foot tapping to the beat of a song. You didn’t think to yourself before listening to the song that I’m going to tap my foot to the beat. It just happens. Music can bring out a wide range of emotions in different people. Music connects to a person in a way that many things can’t. That’s one of the reasons I love music and it has helped me commune with my spirit and with God. I have played in concerts or performed and found that the music touched a person in such a powerful way that it brought them to tears. There is music I listen to and it helps drive me to push myself harder in the gym, there is music that I listen to that helps me relax and calm my mind. There is many different ways we can use music. Music is a connector a bridge to a higher plane of thought, feeling, or experience. It’s difficult to explain of course. It is one of those things you have to go feel and experience.

How does one truly love another?
In my experience, you give yourself to them. To say to another that I’m here for you is a big deal. Everyone wants a friend they want someone that at times will just listen to them and not judge them. There is a time and a place for everything. When you love someone you are there for them when they need you. You prioritize your life. Remember that you have time to do what you need to do. When someone you love and you’ve given priority to is in need then they are your priority. Also learn to laugh with others. Be yourself with them. Find out what they like and look into it, for one thing you learn a lot about new things when you learn about what makes others happy. Take an interest in them and their interests. Try new things. When my wife says that she needs to talk about something then I’m hers. She has my full attention. When a friend wants to talk they have my full attention. Devotion. You devote yourself to their happiness and you’ll find that you find happiness along the way.

If you had the opportunity to offer advice to a group of complete strangers, what would that advice be? Would it change if those strangers were your close friends?
Oh boy, there are lots of things that I would say. I would want everyone to know that life is an experience and not a routine. Yes we have routines and they help structure our daily life, but experience it! Have fun with it. Enjoy it! Sometimes life is difficult and that’s ok. We are in such a rush many times in life and we stress ourselves out. Take time to slow down and notice the details around you. The other day I walked home from Dixie State University, which is a pretty long walk home. I drive on this same street nearly everyday and never notice much along the way. I saw and found so many cool things walking home that I’d never noticed before. Going through life we do that same thing a lot. It is good to be focused on the future but sometimes we are too fixed on what’s ahead and miss what it is around.

Do you believe the sentiment, ‘Dogs are a Man’s best friend’ ?
If I said no, Nina would be right behind me telling you that I’d be lying. I love our dog Zoey she is awesome and has such a cool little personality. I do think that a dog can be a man’s best friend. They can develop friendships and concern for others just like we can. Zoey is very keen of our emotions and is a great friend to have.