The gospel language symbols are images designed to help members learn and teach gospel principles and doctrine.

A picture is worth a thousand words, particularly for families like the Canjuliskis.

Brother and Sister Canjuliski are loving parents and outspoken disability advocates. Their daughter Abby is non-verbal.

She uses images and the assistance of an eye tracking device to communicate.

Like all children, she wants to understand and to be involved.

Tools like the gospel language symbols help her to communicate her thoughts, pray with her family, and participate in gospel conversations. They give her a voice and the unique vocabulary of the gospel.

The gospel language symbols started with a focus on children who use images to communicate.

However, we believe that they could also benefit many other individuals who have additional needs.

We are thrilled when we consider how these gospel language symbols can help children who are non-speaking to better understand the gospel.

There may be other members as well, with additional needs and varying abilities who would benefit from these symbols. In all such cases, the gospel language symbols are a supplement to existing resources already available to families and teachers. We hope that Primary teachers serving children that are non-verbal and loving parents as well will consider how they can use these symbols to better reinforce learning about God's plan and His doctrine.

Individuals and families have found these images to be helpful when teaching gospel concepts to people who do not speak, people with limited speech, people with cognitive issues, or other neurodivergent individuals and their families. In addition, Primary and Sunday School teachers are using the symbols to help children with differing abilities connect to gospel topics that may feel abstract. Including these symbols when you teach can help all our members better connect to gospel vocabulary and information.

Gospel literacy and literacy efforts can also benefit from the use of the gospel language symbols to foster understanding and recognition of key gospel words, phrases, and ideas.

More generally, parents may find the gospel language symbols useful in home evening lessons; scripture study; Come, Follow Me study; and other home-centered gospel study, particularly for children that need additional support.

We invite Church members and employees to become aware of these symbols and to consider how they might be used within your stewardship to support gospel learning, both at home and at church.

To find gospel language symbols in the Gospel Library, go to the Life Help section, select Disabilities,

and then Gospel Language Symbols.

Here you will find a list of vocabulary words for which there is a symbol.

Choose one to see the image.

The gospel language symbols dictionary will continue to grow over the next year or two until the collection reaches around 600 symbols.

For more information or to learn more about the gospel language symbols or additional disability and accessibility resources, please contact disability@churchofjesuschrist.org.

Thank you.