An updated Gospel Language Symbols library is available from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Originally released in December 2022, the library includes images that can help parents, leaders and others teach Church principles and doctrine to people who are nonverbal. They are also useful to those who are neurodiverse, have cognitive delays, are communicating in their non-native language, or simply prefer using visual images.
The updated library, released in January 2024, contains simple images for over 150 terms, ChurchofJesusChrist.org reported. An additional 600 images will be added over the next two years.
The library is available on the Church’s website and on the Gospel Library app. The images can also be downloaded for printing and other offline use.
“We are thrilled when we consider how these gospel language symbols can help children who are nonspeaking to better understand the gospel,” said Sister Amy A. Wright, first counselor in the Primary general presidency.
She said she hopes that Primary teachers and parents “will consider how they can use these symbols to better reinforce learning about God’s plan and His doctrine.”
The original Gospel Language Symbols library started when Michelle and Kevin Cangelosi, a Latter-day Saint couple living in Texas, discovered there weren’t many gospel-related picture symbols for their nonverbal daughter to learn with, Church News reported.
So they reached out to Katie Steed, the Church’s disability specialist manager, and a process for creating gospel-related picture symbols began.
Steed said at the time of the library’s release that the more her team shares these icons with others, the more ways they see how they can be used.
“We see a potential for these symbols to bless the lives of many teachers, learners and families as they desire to better understand the gospel of Jesus Christ,” she said.
