What is the reason for the absence of the Cross as a symbol in the LDS Church? As I was looking at some references for this question dealing with the usage of the inverted pentagram in the LDS Church and particularly on the Temple in Salt Lack City, I came across an article that indicated that in the LDS Church (and its Temples) the symbol of the Cross is completely absent.

The Cross has been a prominent symbol in Christianity for much of its history.  So, my question is this:

For what reason is the usage of the Cross as a symbol excluded by the LDS church?
This question was answered directly by Gordon B. Hinckley, who was the most recent president of the church before the current one.  In an article in 2005, he wrote:


  “I do not wish to give offense to any of my Christian
  colleagues who use the cross on the steeples of their cathedrals and
  at the altars of their chapels, who wear it on their vestments, and
  imprint it on their books and other literature. But for us, the cross
  is the symbol of the dying Christ, while our message is a declaration
  of the Living Christ.”


An when asked what then is the symbol of the LDS, he said:


  the lives of our people must become the most meaningful
  expression of our faith and, in fact, therefore, the symbol of our
  worship.


I know this site prefers explanations over quotations, but there really isn't much more that can be added to that.