<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000811869
<NAME> THE AAL MUTUAL FUNDS
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 101
   <NAME> THE AAL SMALL CAP STOCK FUND CLASS A
<MULTIPLIER> 1
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          APR-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             MAY-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               OCT-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       84,507,529
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      94,932,576
<RECEIVABLES>                                1,735,986
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                  90,920
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                           384,128
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              97,143,610
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                     1,204,263
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      194,624
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          1,398,887
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    80,353,134
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        6,461,181
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        4,520,022
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                    (419,026)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                      5,385,568
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                    10,425,047
<NET-ASSETS>                                95,744,723
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                              171,259
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               73,540
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 668,545
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      (423,746)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     6,013,971
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                   13,711,666
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                       19,301,891
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                      2,206,009
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  (264,850)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                      47,862,789
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          4,720
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (628,403)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          280,371
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                668,545
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        68,069,041
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             9.84
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                (0.055)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          3.675
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        0.000
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              13.46
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.72
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>