<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000811869
<NAME> THE AAL MUTUAL FUNDS
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 121
   <NAME> THE AAL BALANCED FUND CLASS A
<MULTIPLIER> 1
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          APR-30-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             MAY-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               OCT-30-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         83027437
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        84809866
<RECEIVABLES>                                   284557
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                  329699
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                85424122
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       7483954
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       201643
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            7685597
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                      75821025
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          6450491
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          2559097
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       112806
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                          22265
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                       1782429
<NET-ASSETS>                                  70323082
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                               168517
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               731708
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                  343310
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                         556915
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                         55837
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                       798663
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          1411415
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                     (446166)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        4190178
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (339422)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                              40638
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                        46661458
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          41102
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                      (33572)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           152571
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 415407
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                          47277503
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            10.81
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .10
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                            .08
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.09)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              10.90
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.25
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>