It was nothing new for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to see the obligatory hecklers and fiery preachers.

Even the cold sheets of rain mixed with snow did not prevent nearly 20 protesters from attacking Church leaders and quoting damning scriptures north of Temple Square.

Holding signs that said, "Don't buy the big lie!" and "Mormonism is worse than homosexuality," the protesters stood diligently in the cold for hours to accomplish what they claimed was their personal responsibility to God.

"What's the difference between Joseph Smith and Brian Mitchell?" yelled Stephen McRae, a 20-year-old, self-proclaimed preacher from Pennsylvania. "Nothing, except one is dead and the other is in jail."

McRae, a Bible school student who preaches often to various congregations, said he feels responsible to help the people understand the real gospel.

"I don't have anything personal against these people, but I do have something against their religion," McRae said. "We're out here to preach the word of God. We're accomplishing what Jesus Christ said to do."

And for some protesters, preaching the word of God means speaking against Joseph Smith and other early Church leaders.

"We're not protesters, we're preachers," McRae claimed. "To be honest with you, I've talked to several people who have admitted their religion has serious problems."

Other protesters screamed out, "You want a real church? Get one that doesn't molest 13 and 14-year-old girls," and, "Wake up folks, you're on your way to hell."

Most of the conference attendees walked past the noise and on to the Conference Center grounds without paying much notice to the commotion, but a few younger men made it a point to share scriptures and talk about beliefs with the protesters.

An older man turned on his video camera and taped conversations between the anti-Mormon preachers and members who chose to speak with them.

One Church member offered the protesters boxed lunches, but the angry men refused the kind offer.

"I just figured they were hungry," said Aaron Smith of Anchorage, Alaska. "We had extra and I didn't want the food to go to waste. It's just a sandwich, some salad and a little fruit."

Smith said the protesters don't bother him much, but they can get annoying.

"You just can't listen to them," Smith said. "I don't think they're doing much anyway."

LDS missionaries stood by, urging members to ignore the protestors as they crossed the street.

"If you talk to them at all, then they feel they are winning," one missionary said. "If you ignore them then they get upset and they don't yell so much."

The protesters called each other brother, but most of them said they came individually. Protesters also stood at the south gate of Temple Square and on the public easement on the Main Street Plaza.