The Language of Symbolism

"I have long held the view that the universe is built on symbols whereby one thing bespeaks another; the lesser testifying of the greater, lifting our thoughts from man to God, from earth to heaven, from time to eternity...God teaches with symbols; it is His favorite way of teaching." (Elder Orson F. Whitney; Improvement Era 30:85l)

"And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual; things which are in the heavens above, and things which are on the earth, and things which are in the earth, and things which are under the earth, both above and beneath: all things bear record of me." (Moses 6:63)

The Prophet Nephi taught the very same principle: "all things which have been given of God from the beginning of the world, unto man, are the typifying of him." (2 Nephi 11:4)

Elder Boyd K. Packer explains that much of the instruction in the temple is given in symbolic fashion. This should come in no surprise, since so much of the teaching in the scriptures is done symbolically as well. (Packer, The Holy Temple, 38.)

"Indeed, symbols can be powerful devices. One symbol can represent many ideas or concepts, stir a multitude of emotions, remind us of lessons once learned, instruct on several different levels of understanding, and even motivate us to action.
"...Gospel symbols are designed to be teaching devices, an understanding of their underlying doctrines is critical if they are to be interpreted with any degree of validity.
"...one entire section of Doctrine and Covenants was given to us through a latter-day prophet in order to explain the meaning of a complex set of symbols used by an ancient Prophet" (see D&C 77).
(Matthew B. Brown & Paul Thomas Smith, Symbols in Stone.)

Val Brinkerhoff, a professor of photography at BYU and has spent years studying and photographing sacred symbols, art and architecture, etc. He has photographed most of the LDS temples, as well as numerous temples, mosques, cathedrals and sacred places throughout the world. Over 3000 of his photographs are online at his website, Sacred Places & Their Symbols. Val Brinkerhoff Finding Meaning in Sacred Architecture
He has also published a number of books. One is a two volume book--The Day Star: Reading Sacred Architecture--with hundreds of photographs on his interpretation of sacred symbols and the LDS Temple.
Another one on Temple symbolism is Sacred Walls: Learning from Temple Symbols.

Also See:
Understanding Scriptural Symbols

Symbolism and Temple Preparation