Stephens said he meets with the church's Special Affairs Committee once a year at a luncheon.

"But beyond that, the only interaction we have is from time to time with Bill Evans, who is a registered lobbyist with the church, who talks to us. That is primarily about alcohol-related issues." The Special Affairs Committee is headed by a church general authority; it's the place candidates, officeholders and others go when they want to formally inform the church about issues dear to them.

Meg Holbrook has seen LDS Church leaders deal with community and moral matters for a decade. As the two-term state chairwoman of the Utah Democratic Party, Holbrook says it is proper that the LDS Church speak out on issues its leaders feel strongly about.

"We do have to have separation of church and state," said Holbrook, a non-Mormon raised outside of Utah. "I think it's impossible (for the church) to stay out of everything. Sometimes religious groups have a moral duty to be involved.

"People do talk about the abuse of power by the church. But I haven't seen it. Sometimes it is hard for people to see the difference" between church policies and political action by elected officials. "That's especially true because so many of our officials are LDS. And conversely (critics) make assumptions that aren't always accurate. Look, if we lived in Vatican City people would make the same arguments.

"The LDS leaders are very much of the community. They live here, just like the Jews, Catholics, Greeks. You see the Unitarian Church active" in community and political affairs. But people don't talk about it like they do the LDS Church, Holbrook said.

President Hinckley declined to be interviewed for this series of stories but told CNN newsman Larry King in a 1998 interview that the church does get involved in some moral issues, though not in politics. The two were talking about North Korea, where the LDS Church has donated money and expertise from agricultural experts to help North Koreans raise crops.

"This is politics aside then," King asked.

"Politics aside," answered President Hinckley. "The church does not become involved in politics. We don't favor any candidate. We don't permit our buildings to be used for political purposes. We don't favor any party."

"But you do speak out, or will speak out on moral issues?" King asked.

"We speak very strongly on moral issues," President Hinckley said. "Gambling, liquor, what have you. Yes."

Certainly in Utah, the LDS Church is concerned about alcohol use and regulations. And the state officials who oversee alcohol laws listen carefully to the church voice.