Should Mitt Romney win the presidency Tuesday, it will mark an historic first: a Mormon couple moving into the White House.
What would this mean and look like?
Would there be "dry" state dinners, since faithful Mormons don't do alcohol? Would Secret Service tag along to sacred ceremonies only open to worthy church members? What book would a President Mitt Romney use to take his oath of office?
We can't be absolutely sure about all the answers. But if the practices and homes of devout Mormons like the Romneys -- not to mention his history as governor of Massachusetts -- are any indication, we can begin to paint a picture of what a Romney-inhabited White House might look like.
First things first: About that oath
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe the Bible is the word of God. But they also believe this about the Book of Mormon, which is subtitled "Another Testament of Jesus Christ."
Given the importance of the Book of Mormon, this question seemed worth asking: Any chance Romney would place his hand on a Book of Mormon at his swearing-in ceremony?
"No, no way Romney would do that," Jana Riess, a religion scholar, co-author of "Mormonism for Dummies," and blogger for Religion News Service, wrote in an e-mail message. "I'm not aware of any Mormon who has sworn on the Book of Mormon instead of the Bible for national office. (I'm not aware of any local officials who have done this either.)"
Most likely, Romney would go back to the Bible he used in 2003 when he was sworn in as governor of Massachusetts -- the same one his father, George Romney, reportedly used when he was sworn in as Michigan's governor in the 1960s.
Beyond paint and fabric swatches
Having never been invited over for a meal, we can't pretend to know anything about the Romney aesthetic when it comes to home decoration. But we wondered and asked about specific items that tend to hang in Mormon households.
Randall Balmer, an award-winning historian, author and chair of the Department of Religion at Dartmouth College, speculated that the Romneys -- like plenty of Mormons -- might display artwork featuring a depiction of Jesus and a photograph of LDS Church President Thomas S. Monson, considered a "prophet, seer and revelator" by members of the church.
Another possibility, said Riess, would be a photo of the Salt Lake Temple where Mitt and Ann Romney were married and "sealed" for eternity in a sacred ceremony in 1969.
Then there's something commonly known as the "Proclamation on the Family," which is often framed and displayed in homes -- though rarely in upper-class households, said Joanna Brooks, author of "The Book of Mormon Girl: Stories from an American Faith."
The proclamation features words set forth by LDS Church leadership in 1995, highlighting family and gender responsibilities. Among the points made: Marriage is between a man and woman; the primary responsibility of fathers is to oversee and provide for families; and mothers must first and foremost care for the children.
All of these items could show up in the White House, said Grant Bennett, an old Romney friend who spoke at the Republican National Convention and has known the Romney family since they met through church in 1978.
But he said, "the most quintessential Mormon item would be pictures of their family," including those of ancestors, because "families are forever" and bound for eternity in the Mormon view.
Bennett also suggested that a verse or two of Scripture that is particularly meaningful to the Romneys might be framed and on display.
If any of these things would hang in the White House, they would likely appear in the private quarters where first families are free to do what they please.
That doesn't mean Romney wouldn't be allowed to honor his faith in some way in the Oval Office, but decorative decisions in public rooms -- the spaces visited on tours -- are subject to committee discussions and advisers on historic preservation, explained Melissa Naulin, assistant curator in the Curator's Office of the White House Museum.
Can I get a cup of coffee? How about something stronger?
In accordance with a revelation received in 1833 by LDS Church founder Joseph Smith, something known as the "Word of Wisdom," faithful Latter-day Saints abstain from coffee, tea and alcohol.
Does this mean a return to the days of "Lemonade Lucy," the posthumous nickname given to the wife of Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th U.S. president, who banned alcohol from the White House?
No, said Cabinet members from Romney's gubernatorial era and a current top aide. They said this health-related observance is not one the Romneys would impose on or expect of others.
"As governor, when Mitt Romney entertained at official functions in the evening, alcohol was served along with soft beverages," said a senior aide who asked not to be identified in stories about religion.
"There was always a healthy cup of coffee for anyone who wanted it," said Renee Fry, a former Cabinet member.
"Cabinet dinner gatherings were not dry," wrote Douglas Foy, who also served in Governor Romney's Cabinet. "Although the governor and his wife did not partake -- which the governor often joked about, since he sponsored the gatherings and paid for the wine!"
Storing -- and refraining from -- food
The LDS Church advises its members to store enough food to feed a family for a year.
Food storage is viewed as a practical measure, one that can come in handy during, say, a crippling superstorm, massive power outages or unforeseen financial hardships.
The practice is rooted in Mormon history. The church's early pioneers, on their trek westward to what is now Utah, experienced great suffering and starvation. They also endured their share of persecution and couldn't rely on the help of others. So having resources squirreled away became a collective comfort.
Any chance that the Romneys would institute White House food storage?
Not because they would need it for themselves or likely anyone else at the White House, but Riess said in these uncertain times, it could be a good lesson in preparedness to showcase to the nation.
"I wouldn't be surprised to see that," she said.
Even if a family storing it doesn't need the food, by having it available that family is poised to help others. Serving those less fortunate or in crisis is big in the LDS Church, and it is a part of another practice that may find its way into the White House if the Romneys move in.
The first Sunday of every month is Fast Sunday, when committed Mormons who are able forgo food and drink for about 24 hours. Coupled with prayer, it has spiritual meaning. It also serves to instill compassion for those who are in need, and to that end Mormons are encouraged to minimally donate what they would have spent on food to the church's welfare fund.
Fast Sunday, or calls to fast at other times, can also bind Mormons together when they pray and fast for a common cause.
A Utah woman created buzz earlier this fall when an e-mail she sent out to friends and family, suggesting they fast to help Romney before the debates, began making the rounds in Mormon circles across the country. A new website, romneyfast.org, also the brainchild of private citizens -- and not a church-sanctioned effort -- asks people to fast and pray for Romney and his wife Ann this Sunday before America goes to the polls.
When he was governor of Massachusetts, and in general, Mitt and Ann Romney observed Fast Sunday and "always contributed very generously to the fast offering fund," said Bennett, who held church leadership roles with Romney in the Boston area.
What's more, Bennett said that when Romney served as their congregation's bishop -- the equivalent of an unpaid pastor -- it wasn't uncommon for the two friends to fast more than once a month. At the time, Bennett was one of Romney's two counselors, or advisers.