We Thank Thee, Oh God!

I hate big crowds. Anxiety and claustrophobia start to settle in. I have major personal space issues and I only give a select few people permission to be inside my bubble. But, being in a large gathering of Mormons in an LDS event has a completely different effect on me. I love it. I love the random outbursts of Hymns and the snippets of overheard conversations including Mormon lingo. Most of all, I love the protesters.
Okay, I don't love them. I feel bad for them. Out of all the places to protest, they come to General Conference where devoted, loving Saints have sacrificed a lot to be there. Like these people are going to pay one bit of attention to a man shouting at them that they are all going to the hot place for believing in the Celestial Kingdom. Or even the other guy to had MORMONS ARE NOT CHRISTIANS in big red, ugly letters on his t-shirt. I think I see him every year. There was one guy who dressed up as the devil, reading the Book of Mormon, and thanking everybody for coming out to support him. His was pretty funny. I'll give him props for creativity. He lost a lot in stupidity though . . .
Once we got into the conference center and the doors to the protesters were shut and the sweet silence of the Spirit settled in, I was able to relax. I sat there and pondered on the protesters, trying to figure out what it is exactly that they have against us. Listening to conference, my puzzlement reached new levels of confusion. Everything the speakers had to say was completely positive and uplifting, whether you believed in the Church or not. So why are those people who line the sidewalks shouting that we are all an evil people into megaphones? Have they even tried to listen and learn? Can they not just open their hearts? Maybe that's the problem. They cannot hear.
Are there times when I cannot hear? Or I don't want to listen?