Becca Kufrin brings 'Bachelor' Arie Luyendyk to Prior Lake for hometown episode

Prior Lake American

It's time.

While there was once 29 women, there are now just four.

Four women brought bachelor Arie Luyendyk Jr. home to meet their families during the latest episode of ABC's "The Bachelor," which aired Monday, Feb. 19 — and one of those four is Prior Lake's own Becca Kufrin.

Viewers of ABC's "The Bachelor" were taken on a journey to Minnesota where Luyendyk has the chance to meet Kufrin's family and see where she grew up.

In the episode, local "Bachelor" fans hoping to see a glimpse of Prior Lake were shown a shot of Minneapolis. A different shot of Minneapolis. Yet another shot of Minneapolis. A shot of what could be Prior Lake. And then a shot of a sign for "Minnetonka Orchards."

Not a great start.

A friendly reminder — Kufrin graduated from Prior Lake High School in 2008. Her mother, Jill Kufrin, worked for 20 years as a teacher at Grainwood Elementary in Prior Lake.

"Arie and I started off very strong with the first one-on-one," Kufrin said. "When I was with him in Tuscany, it just seemed like everything clicked. I have a great day at the apple orchard planned. And I can't wait and I just want to get today started."

While Luyendyk appears like he's headed for a month-long trek in the frozen tundra of Antarctica in a heavy winter coat, Kufrin looks like a true Minnesotan in a light jacket — like it's April 25, or something.

"Welcome to Minnesota — I'm sorry it's not warmer right now," Kufrin tells Luyendyk.

The pair pick apples at the Minnetonka Orchards and makes caramel apples. Kufrin said her family used to have apple trees that her father, who died from a brain tumor when she was 19, tended to.

"I feel like my dad has been watching me through this journey," Kufrin said. "I think he would really enjoy Arie and find him to be like, a standup guy."

Luyendyk reiterates that he is falling for Kufrin: "She'd make a great wife. She'd make a great mom and we have that chemistry and passion for each other."

Later on, Luyendyk and Kufrin head to presumably her mother's house in Prior Lake to meet the family. This time, viewers are awarded with not one, but two shots of Prior Lake (including the welcome signage) and a shot of the home where the family will be having dinner.

Before the couple arrives, the family talks together about how strange and quick "The Bachelor" process is — from stepping out of the limo to the proposal, filming takes about two months.

"Here's what I think," Kufrin's uncle Gary said. "I think it's way too fast. It's ridiculously fast. Becca needs more time with this guy if this is a real deal."

Kufrin had told Luyendyk that Gary would be the one most likely to question the bachelor.

"He's like a second father to me," Kufrin said. "He's kind of like, taken that role on for my sister and I after my dad died. He's very protective."

For dinner, ABC provided the family with sandwiches from the Artisan Bistro and Bar in Prior Lake. Kufrin's mother Jill Kufrin said she had requested the meal be from that restaurant.

"It is a favorite restaurant of mine and their food is always delicious," Jill Kufrin said.

There was also a homemade pea soup.

After a short toast, Gary pulls Luyendyk aside to have a chat. Gary shows Luyendyk carved wooden ducks around the house, which were made by Kufrin's father.

"This should be her dad sitting here right now, not me," Gary said. "With her dad dying of a horrible brain tumor, her mom Jill has had breast cancer, we've seen a lot of ugliness with cancers and dying and death and things but we've stuck together. We're her uncles and since his passing, we're her guard dogs."

Gary asks Luyendyk if Kufrin is "the real deal" and Luyendyk responds that she is. Gary, who is a pastor, then brings up the topic of religion. In a conversation with another contestant on the show in a previous episode, Luyendyk implied that he is not religious and struggles with faith. Kufrin, while she has not talked about faith on the show, has a tattoo of a cross and a tattoo that says "Psalm 61:2."

"Let's say it's Becca and you're married and Becca wants to go to church," Gary said. "What do you do?"

Luyendyk said he would go with her and that the pair had talked about religion previously.

"Spiritually, I'm not as far along as she is, but I'm open to it," Luyendyk said.

Kufrin also talked about Luyendyk with her mother. Jill Kufrin teared up when she mentioned that Kufrin could not be in Minnesota anymore. Generally, whoever wins the season is expected to move to where the bachelor or bachelorette lives. Which, in this case, would be Arizona. That explains the winter coat.

"You know how much I trust you and I want the best for you," Jill Kufrin said. "I want you to be loved. I want you to be content, fulfilled. There's no way a mom would not want that."

Following his talk with Gary, Luyendyk went to talk to Kufrin's mom. Jill Kufrin asks Luyendyk to think of loving, committed relationships in his life and what makes them work.

"I think about my parents right away," Luyendyk responds. "They've been married 36 years. They choose each other every day."

Luyendyk asks for Jill Kufrin's blessing to ask Kufrin to marry him. Jill Kufrin darts around the question.

"Here's what I could give a blessing to — I would honor whatever her choice is because I trust her and I love her," Jill Kufrin said.

For some reason, this doesn't stop Luyendyk from telling Kufrin that he definitively got her mother's blessing.

However, Jill Kufrin said she likes Luyendyk.

"Coming into tonight, I was worried about it a little bit just because I know how important family is for the both of us," Luyendyk said. "But, it's so exciting to really feel accepted and feel that her family is behind us."

Kufrin tells Luyendyk, "You keep blowing my mind and stealing pieces of my heart." In true Luyendyk fashion, he responds with: "I love that."

Of the three blessings Luyendyk asked for during the hometown episode from the different families, Luyendyk received zero blessings and three "I trust my daughter" responses, so that bodes well.

Still, Kufrin is sure of Luyendyk.

"I'm not just falling and falling and falling, I'm there," Kufrin said. "I love him. It feels right and I can picture spending life with him. There are three too many girls here, still. It freaks me out."

Tia is sent home during the rose ceremony, while Kufrin, Lauren and Kendall receive roses and move on to overnight dates in Peru.

There are only two episodes remaining to find out if Kufrin wins the season as well as Luyendyk's heart.