This is unfamiliar territory to me, too. Many have said that Romney IS a bishop, which doesn’t seem to be accurate. He was a bishop, if the Christian Science Monitor article is to be believed.
Apparently a bishop is much like an unpaid pastor of a congregation. And here’s what the Monitor says about the other term:
“After that, he served nine years as ‘stake’ president, overseeing about a dozen Boston-area parishes.”
I gather that this job, too, is unpaid. But it would seem to require a certain amount of knowledge and authority concerning the teachings of the LDS church.
Young, unmarried Mormons in their twenties are also usually expected to spend two years serving as missionaries, to spread their faith.
This is kinda hard to do, for even Mormons do not agree as to just WHAT their faith really is.
Check out any PRO LDS chat sites on the web and notice the conversations.