Symbols Used
| Picture | Symbol Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| All-seeing eye | Appears on the Salt Lake Temple exterior and on other early LDS buildings. | |
| Angel Moroni | Final author of the Book of Mormon and the person who revealed location of the golden plates to Joseph Smith. | |
| Beehive | From the Book of Mormon; refers to deseret, meaning "honeybee." Appears on the Utah state flag, Utah state seal, Brigham Young's Beehive House, Salt Lake Temple, Utah state highway markers, etc. | |
| Handclasp | Appears on Salt Lake Temple exterior. One modern adaptation is the "Helping Hands" logo on t-shirts worn by LDS members when performing community service (see also: right hand of fellowship). | |
| Iron rod | Originates with the Book of Mormon; symbolizes the "word of God," meaning the scriptures, the words of the living prophets, or the gospel of Jesus Christ generally that leads one to the Tree of Life. | |
| Pioneer wagon | Emblem often appearing in Pioneer Day celebrations; evokes connection of living members to deeds of the Mormon pioneers. Variations often include a handcart. | |
| Sego lily | Image appearing in several temples, due to its importance to early Mormon pioneer settlers in Utah as a source of sustenance. As a result of its importance in early LDS Church (and, thus, Utah) history, it also appears on the Utah state flag and is also the official Utah state flower. | |
| Sunstone | Appeared on original Nauvoo Temple. | |
| Tree of life | Symbolic element featured prominently in the beginning portion of the Book of Mormon; symbolizes the love of God. |
Read more about this topic: Symbolism In The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints
Famous quotes containing the word symbols:
“Many older wealthy families have learned to instill a sense of public service in their offspring. But newly affluent middle-class parents have not acquired this skill. We are using our children as symbols of leisure-class standing without building in safeguards against an overweening sense of entitlement—a sense of entitlement that may incline some young people more toward the good life than toward the hard work that, for most of us, makes the good life possible.”
—David Elkind (20th century)
“The use of symbols has a certain power of emancipation and exhilaration for all men. We seem to be touched by a wand, which makes us dance and run about happily, like children. We are like persons who come out of a cave or cellar into the open air. This is the effect on us of tropes, fables, oracles, and all poetic forms. Poets are thus liberating gods.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)