tree, but you really love that fresh christmas tree smell, put up some fresh garland on your mantle and around the house, and that'll do the trick. if you have a decorating hack, share it with us at open house tv. we'll be back next week. thanks for watching. good morning. twisters in good morning p twisters in texas. wild moments in the lone star state when a tornado touches down, crossing a highway. snapped trees, downed power line, homes severely damaged, while the east sees record-breaking heat once again today. what is behind this wild weather? cruz control. a major shake-up in iowa. ted cruz skyrocketing in a new poll, now leading donald trump by ten points. with just 50 days to go until the iowa caucuses. this morning, what it all means

shifts into high gear. missed warning signs? according to a published report, san bernardino attacker tashfeen malik openly posted online that she wanted to take part in violent jihad before she entered the u.s. so why was she let in? and bush whacked. >> the field of republicans out there are so messed up, i figure it makes you miss me, doesn't it? >> will farrell making a surprise return to "saturday night live" as president george w. bush. all the laughs from one of our favorite performers today, sunday, december 13th, 2015. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. welcome to "today" on a beautiful sunday morning here in new york. i'm erica hill. >> glad to have you with us. i'm craig melvin alongside sheinelle jones and dylan dreyer. we'll get to more will ferrell

we'll apologize to the warriors. we jinxed them yesterday. >> you said -- >> yeah. >> the warriors had, of course, been on this unbelievable streak. they'd won 28 in a row, the longest season-opening winning streak in nba history. they lost last night to the bucks. we won't be talking about any more streaks on the broadcast. >> i don't know about "we." our top story, the twisters in texas. record heat in the east. there could be more severe weather and sweltering temperatures again today. this has been a crazy december weather wise. >> it's part of the el nino pattern. there were two reported tornadoes in texas, but it only takes one to cause damage. you can see this run that raced across the highway. it tore off roofs. we've seen downed trees and power lines and a lot of,

now we have to clean up the whole area. very severe storms. it wasn't just the tornadoes, but also the gusty winds that caused the damage, as well. the setup is like this, we have warm weather on the eastern half of the country and cooler air behind it. it's the clash through central texas, where we saw some of the strongest storms yesterday. we have heavy rain clearing out of dallas, moving to eastern texas, eastern oklahoma. this is going to be a rainy day, but not the severity of the storms we dealt with yesterday. we could see two to three inches of rain in arkansas. three to four in northeastern iowa. we're going to see record-breaking temperatures. 23 states could see the records with highs running 15 to 25 degrees above average. we'll eventually get into a more normal pattern as we go through the end of the week, with temperatures cooling off. but we are probably going to see upwards of 35 to 40 record highs today. >> wow. we'll come back to you in a bit.

turning now to politics and a shakeup in iowa. a new poll shows republican front runner donald trump now trailing texas senator ted cruz by ten points. the dramatic shift comes after trump's latest controversial. kristen welker breaks it down for us this morning. >> good morning. donald trump tried to discredit the poll that shows him trailing cruz, but it could show signs of trouble for trump. it was taken december 7th through the 10th, after trump's controversial comments about banning muslims from the u.s. according to a new "des moines register" poll, ted cruz leads trump by ten points, 31% to 21%. this after trump said all muslims should be banned from entering the u.s. a controversial position he defended in south carolina on saturday. >> now, all of a sudden, everyone is coming and saying,

>> reporter: trump called the poll bias and slammed another survey which showed him in the lead. the cruz campaign said it's a testament to the fact that cruz's message is working. trump and cruz have avoided criticizing each other until recently, with cruz questioning trump's judgment during a private fundraiser. trump tried to undermine cruz's evangelical status. >> i like ted cruz, but not a lot of evangelicals come out of cuba, in all fairness. >> reporter: trump's other gop rivals are sharpening their attacks. on "meet the press," marco rubio criticized trump's policy. >> it's outlandish and offense. >> reporter: the democratic race is also heating up. vermont senator bernie sanders topping secretary hillary clinton in a recent new hampshire poll. while he continues to draw policy distinctions with clinton, on saturday, he saved

front runner. >> trump and other demagogues attempting to divide this country, that is disgusting, unacceptable and, as a nation, we must reject it. >> the other headline from the iowa poll, dr. ben carson, who was once a top candidate, has plunged a stunning 15 points, to take third place in the state, with many caucus goers saying he doesn't have the foreign policy credentials to lead. will we see trump step up his attacks against ted cruz more? >> kristen, thank you. chuck today is moderator of "meet the press." good morning. we should note that donald trump is still ahead in just about every poll nationally among republicans. let's look at iowa here. we've got that "des moines register" poll that kristen mentioned. give us the state of the race some 50 days out in the hawkeye state.

cruz has done what mike huckabee did before him, and rick santorum in 2012 and 2008, representatively. ted cruz emerged as the favorite of evangelicals. in iowa, that means you win, when you're the favorite of evangelicals. it's an important voting block in the republican party, not a majority. becoming the candidate of evangelicals is enough to win iowa, enough to win states, but not enough to win the nomination. ted cruz himself knows this. but this will be the first time that the evangelical candidate has had organization and money. that is a big difference here. look, i think what the iowa poll tells us is what we expected. there was going to be an evangelical conservative to emerge. that's cruz. trump is in his own category. we're waiting to see about the establishment part of the party. it looks like it's going to be

>> let's talk democrats and go to new hampshire. there's a new poll showing hillary clinton at 52% right now. she's up 20 points now over bernie sanders. is this race hers to lose at this point, chuck? >> well, those new hampshire numbers, frankly, i'll be honest, those are surprising to me. i don't buy them. we've seen plenty of other polling to indicate that neighboring state, sanders had strength in new hampshire. it may be unique to new hampshire. hard stop. i do think sanders is sort of topped out here a little bit. part of it has to do with hillary clinton's solidifying herself. part has to do with biden not running. part has to do with the new focus in this race is national security. it's less so with democratic primary voters than republican voters, but it has risen to the top of the list. hillary clinton's experience now, i think, is her trump card to making it so while sanders will have a solid 30% to 40% in many of the primaries, i don't

>> let's talk about what happened yesterday. president obama discussing the historic accord that was signed in paris on saturday. let's listen to just a bit of what president obama had to say. >> the problem's not solved because of this accord. but make no mistake, the paris agreement establishes the enduring framework the world needs to solve the climate crisis. it creates the mechanism, the architecture, for us to continually tackle this problem in an effective way. >> roughly 200 nations have agreed to curb emissions significantly. chuck, we saw the kyoto protocol fizzle. is there any reason to think it'll be different this time around? >> there is more momentum with this one than kyoto. the united states, the president, is more in step with this one than the president was the previous time with kyoto. a lot depends, craig -- look, the united states is going to be

positive or negatively. i think it depends on who the next president is. if it's hillary clinton, he'll continue this, and it probably can keep this framework in place. it's fragile. none of this is mandatory. any country can back out, no matter what they say on this. that makes it difficult to see it forging ahead. >> chuck todd, always good to see you. quick reminder, tune into "meet the press" this morning. chuck's guest is presidential candidate marco rubio. turning to the latest on the mass shooting in san bernardino and new questions about the female shooter and whether she should have been able to be allowed into the united states in the first place. gadi schwartz is in san bernardino this morning. good morning. >> good morning. as the investigation delves deeper into the past of the killers, new questions about radical posts online. >> reporter: did authorities miss a glaring red flag when

immigrate to the united states? she openly posted on social media she supported violent jihad, even wanted to be a part of it. law enforcement officials only recently became aware of these postings. reviewing social media isn't normally part of their background checks. today, this search of the lake where malik and her husband, syed farook, may have dumped potential evidence, is over. the fbi has not revealed whether they recovered anything of value from the water. sources tell nbc news, the fbi is trying to learn as much as they can about enrique marquez. not named a suspect, but farook's friend and the person who bought the assault rifles several years ago. sources say it's possible farook and malik were becoming radicalized before they met, as early as 2010. a potential answer as to who firebombed a mosque in california. dial, accused of a hate crime.

adult. >> reporter: his family says he was consumed by what he'd seen on social media and he's innocent until proven guilty. if he did it, he'll face is consequences. >> we'll supply him with money. we have no plans to bail him out. >> reporter: muslims in this community are raising money for the san bernardino victims but fear being the target of hate. >> we're grateful no one was hurt. >> reporter: while at funeral homes and churches across the country, friends and family are remembering the victims of the san bernardino attack, like shannon johnson, brought back to his home state of georgia, honored as a hero who gave his life for his co-workers. and isaac, who escaped the violence in africa. >> he was so sweet, his smile. he was always so happy. >> reporter: now joining names on a memorial wall of americans killed in terrorist attacks.

health inspector, the county health department is revisiting all restaurants and businesses issued certificates by farook, replacing them with new certificates that no longer bear his name. erica? >> gadi, thank you. turning to the attacks in paris. one month since terrorism darkened the city of lights. kelly cobiella has the latest, as we learn of more arrests, this time in switzerland. >> good morning. the swiss prosecutor says the two men are from syria. these two new arrests. they're suspected of making and transporting explosives and toxic gas. they were arrested on friday, found with traces of explosives in their car, officials said. this as a massive man hunt continues for at least four other suspects. >> reporter: heavy armed police patrolled geneva, on a heightened state of alert after a tip from the cia that four

state may be planning a specific attack. swiss prosecutor said the two syrian men under arrest are not tied to that man hunt. they spoke no french, he said, and had recently arrived in switzerland. a month after the attack on paris, which left 130 dead, suspect salah abdeslam is still on the run. belgian investigators are looking for abrini, seen with salah two days before the attack. in paris, an impromptu vigil at the bataclan where 89 people were killed. nerves are still raw. >> we are more attentive about our environment. we pay attention in the subway. but we still very sad. >> reporter: france is still under a state of emergency, but

given a special last-minute permit to demonstrate against the climate change talks. the demonstration was peaceful. at the cafes where dozens were killed, mountains of flowers and memorials still stand. a cafe where five died has been opened over a week. customers are coming back. >> there are unconfirmed reports in a british paper this morning that one of the paris attackers, abaaoud, had pictures of birmingham, england, on his phone. according to a british security analyst, there does appear to be some sort of link to the united kingdom. but how relevant the link is is still unclear. police here will only say that this country remain on the highest state of alert and, craig, that an attack is highly likely. >> kelly cobiella from london, thank you. sheinelle has a developing story out of california this morning.

camera, sheinelle. >> los angeles county sheriff's department is holding a press conference about a deputy-involved shooting sparking protests. the incident was on camera. we'll warn you, the video is graphic. while it doesn't show events leading up to the shooting, deputies responding to a report of shots fired confronted a man with a gun and opened fire when the man turned toward them, killing him. angry demonstrators converged on the scene, claiming after the man fell to the ground, officers kept firing. in russia, a blaze swept through a home for mentally ill adults. the smoky fire left at least 23 dead. many of the patients were unable to walk and had to be carried from the building. officials say about 50 people were rescued from the gutted structure. notifications are going out to families and employees who

to a california nurse with tuberculosis. it could affect 350 infants. the babies will get medication and x-rays for six months. county officials say one reason for the precaution is the area has a large number of active tb cases. in sports, college football has given out its highest honor. the heisman trophy was awarded to derrick henry of the crimson tide. he set new marks for a season single and conference rushing. finally, new orleans, a homeless man's lost christmas tree sparked an outpouring of community assistance. the tree used to stand outside his tent under one of the city's highways. the sanitation department removed it, saying it violated local codes. residents heard the story and began showing up with trees and ornaments and presents. many stayed to decorate the trees. they're on display around the tent. >> i like that. christmas spirit right there. dylan is back with the

>> we have snow and winter storm warnings in effect. we could see several inches of snow, especially across the panhandle of oklahoma and into southwestern kansas. elsewhere, we're looking at rain through the middle and up and down the east coast. we'll be breaking record highs and mountain snow out west. that's a look at the weather across the country. now, here's a peek out your window. >> hi there. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist erica grow. another day one believable warmth. a high temperature of 64 degrees. those peeks of sunshine really helping to warm things up. it's going to be a record high at central park. overnight tonight, 53 degrees. a little bit of fog developing with some partial clearing. here's a look at the seven-day forecast. rain and showers moving in late on monday, but still very warm with a high of 62. it'll be a breezy day on tuesday with a high of 60 degrees. >> that's your latest forecast. >> dylan, thank you. the waiting is almost over. some lucky people will get a

wars" movie tomorrow the film expected to shatter every known record in the galaxy. it's slated to premiere in hollywood. we have more on the excitement of seismic proportions. >> the force, it's calling to you. >> reporter: the wait is almost over for the release of "star wars: the force awakens." on monday night in hollywood, the premiere has garnered so much excitement, the movie will be shown in three movie theaalters, potentially making it the biggest hollywood premiere ever. >> it's unprecedented. there are so many celebrities that want to see the film, let alone people in general that are excited for this movie. >> reporter: in anticipation of monday's star-studded event and friday's release, people are already camped out in front of the tcl chinese theater. the same theater where "star wars" debuted in 1977. and reminiscent of people lining

take in the new phenomenon. advanced ticket sales for this film surpassed $50 million. there's no guarantee you'll get a ticket at the chinese theater's first public screening. >> it's a once in a lifetime experience. >> reporter: devoted fans must log 24 hours in line before they can get a ticket. a challenge many will gladly take up in the hopes of being part of movie history. for "today," kristen dahlgren, nbc news, new york. >> since we're talking history with the film, we thought we'd look at the reviews for the original "star wars." the new republic said, the only way that "star wars" could have been interesting was through its visual imagination and special effects. both are unexceptional. >> wow. >> "star wars" taps the pulp fantasies buried in our memories. because it's done so

thrills, fears and exhilarations we thought we'd abandoned when we read our last copy of amazing stories. >> it's enjoyable on its own terms but exhausting, too. like taking a pack of kids to the circus. it's an epic without a dream. that might be my favorite review ever. >> there's a lot in there. >> wow. >> there you go. still ahead, a soldier's best friend. the decorated dog recovering alongside his master after both survived a roadside bomb. we'll share the heartwarming photos. first, these messages. photos. but first, these messages. lot of gifts at prices low

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good morning. 26 minutes after 9:00. 62 degrees. a little cloudy in downtown manhattan. certainly going to be going up later today. it's december 13th. i'm pat battle. a man is in critical condition after an suv hit a scooter on the upper east side. police say the man drove that scooter through a red light at 5th avenue and east 85th streets. the suv struck it. the impact threw the man into a tree. the suv driver was not hurt. and a shooting in the bronx to tell you about sent two men to the hospital. that happened near a bar called the garage. it's on tillson avenue. this is in the eastchester neighborhood. a man was shot in the head and taken to jacoby hospital. another man was hit in the leg. no word on any arrests just yet. and the santas were less naughty, more nice at this year's santa con. after years of complaints about

behavior, the nypd really enforced a no-tolerance policy during yesterday's holiday pub crawl. so for the third year in a row, event organizers released their route to police ahead of time, and they say there were no arrests this year. and police have released this photo of a possible witness to a deadly hit-and-run accident in queens. detectives want to talk to this man. they say he was spotted getting out of the passenger side of the vehicle that was involved in a crash on northern boulevard in jackson heights. this was on tuesday night. 17-year-old ovidio jaramillo was walking home from a funeral when he was struck and killed. checking your weather forecast, get ready for another unseasonably warm day today. a high of 64, dropping to 53 tonight. still fog in the air. tomorrow, you may need the umbrella. tuesday, a little cooler but still an unseasonably lovely week ahead. stay tuned for more of "weekend today."

[ applause ] i've made a big decision. i'm entering the race for president of the united states of america. next, jeb! oh, boy. poor jeb. you've got to admit, it's a pretty good plot twist, that i turned out to be the smart one. i wish you would have asked me

the end of his name. look, i don't like the taste of broccoli, but doesn't get any tastier if you call it broccoli! >> oh, will ferrell, returning to "saturday night live" to reprise his role as george w. bush, giving us plenty of laughs which we're happy to continue into our sunday morning. welcome back. it is sunday, december 13th, 2015. we have another fantastic crowd out here on the plaza. >> this is a great bunch. >> this is good stuff. there's a sign that says, all we want for christmas is a picture with dylan. i think we can make it happen. >> right there. >> we're making christmas wishes come true every day on the plaza. let's get a look at what's making headlines on this sunday morning. a new poll in iowa shows a shift in the republican presidential race. the numbers showing trump trailing ted cruz by ten points. caucuses in the hawkeye state,

the "new york times" reports despite posts on social media supporting jihad, tashfeen malik passed three background checks to obtain her visa before carrying out the attack in san bernardino. the details come as police arrest a man in connection with the firebombing of a southern california mosque. roll tide. the heisman trophy awarded to alabama's derrick henry, the running back who set new records for a single season, rushing for nearly 2,000 yards. we start this half hour with the woman who unleashed a fire storm on social media when she posted a picture of her dog with its mouth taped shut. that picture there, katherine lemansky or katie brown, will face charges of animal cruelty. >> her family said she released death threats from angry animal lovers. as she prepares for her day in court, some are hoping she'll be the one to learn a lesson. >> reporter: katherine has been

picture last month of her chocolate lab mix with his mouth muzzled with duct tape for barking. the caption, this is what happens when you don't shut up. >> the fact that anybody can do something like that and not -- i mean, obviously, not have any feelings or care anything about it, is unconscionable. >> reporter: she posted, don't panic everyone, it was only for a minute and hasn't barked since. point made. dog lovers were quick to express their anger. she will appear for the first time in front of a judge in north carolina on monday. as disturbing as the case may be, legal experts say she is unlikely to go to jail. >> unless she has other offenses that will add up that would make the judge want to give jail time, she's probably just going to pay a fine. >> reporter: animal rights

be more severe. >> if somebody doesn't have the self-control to be able to patient and understanding, and to know that dogs bark, then you think, what on earth else is she going to do to punish that dog? >> the dog was not removed from lemansky's home. tomorrow's court date is considered an administrative court appearance, so she will not enter a plea. she's expected to make one other court appearance before sentencing. guys? >> sheinelle, thank you. more uplifting image of a dog and its owner that's also going viral this morning. >> this is a photo of army specialist brown and his dog, a military working dog. they're both recovering after being injured in afghanistan by a roadside bomb. the photos of these two have been shared on facebook.

own bed with a purple heart around his neck. the 89th military police brigade says both are doing well. >> man's best friend, right? man's best friend. final check of the forecast? >> yeah, and we have an awesome picture of albany, new york, of all places. these kids are like, nope, not wearing the jacket. throwing their jacket up outside after school one day. granted, there are no leaves on the trees, so it looks cold, but it is running around 70 degrees out in albany and buffalo. i don't even know why we're wearing jackets. i think it's you feel like you have to. it is going to be another record-breaking day today for possible 23 states with the heat. in the northwest, every single day we've had these storm systems making their way off the pacific. this one is going to produce one of the biggest storms salt lake city has seen in three years. they could get eight inches of snow. last year was the second least snowiest winter on record in salt lake city.

a lot of rain through the middle of the country. that's a look at the weather across the country. now here's a peek out your window. hi there. i'm storm team 4 meteorologist erica grow. another day with unbelievable warmth. a high temperature of 64 degrees. those peeks of sunshine really helping to warm things up. it's going to be a record high at central park. overnight tonight, 53 degrees. a little bit of fog developing with some partial clearing. here's a look at the seven-day forecast. rain and showering moving in late on monday but still very warm with a high of 62. it'll be a breezy day on tuesday with a high of 60 degrees. >> that's your latest forecast. >> thank you, dylan. up next, our sunday stories. knowledge is star power, in a new series of online classes. plus, a new way of life within reach for 12 children born without limbs. and harry is here with a very special story involving a special talent of his own.

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baby it's cold outside! p you never know who you'll meet at barnes & noble. back with you on a sunday morning. what if you could pick the brain of dustin hoffman about acting? maybe get a private tennis lesson from serena williams? >> now you can. thanks to online classes bringing you the stars within reach. this is cool. >> this is such a cool idea. the whole class is called master class. it's a new online program aimed at providing everyone access to genius. i had an opportunity to learn about the courses and the artist's performers from their newest instructor, usher.

dance lesson with usher. >> every bit of what i've learned, i want to share with you. >> reporter: an acting class with dustin hoffman. >> it's true what they say about failure. you don't learn from success. >> reporter: learning how to create a novel from james patterson. >> you know how to do it. create the story. >> reporter: get tips from serena williams. >> tilt your arm more. >> reporter: now you can through master class. a series of online classes taught by people who are the best in the world at what they do. >> this isn't me, this is the character. >> dustin was one of the first, if not the first, yes we got. i think we were like, wait, he's actually going to do -- he wants to teach? >> reporter: the partners are the brains behind the operation. tech geeks with minimal hollywood connections, they've already gotten an impressive roster, with kevin spacey, christina aguilera, launching classes in the new year.

submitted. >> reporter: with work books, assignments and lessons, this looks like a typical online course, but they're direct and had produced by some of the best talent in hollywood. >> hey, usher. >> reporter: office hour questions can be answered by usher. >> stay committed. >> how hands on are you with the project? >> i'm totally invested in it. this is an opportunity to help a lot of people. what could i do with all that i've learned, other than horde it, hold on to it. >> this is more than just teaching people to sing and dance. you've been gone for too long >> anybody can have overnight success. what happens when you're in front of 20,000 people? now, you have an audience.

an image. understanding how to be confident enough to take constructive criticism and put yourself out there. use my own career as an example. i wasn't a great dancer when i first started. even at this level, i still am a lot of myself. >> what does it feel like to be a part of this project? >> someone once asked me, if you were not an entertainer, what would you be? i'd love to be a mentor. always felt i could offer encouragement to people who just needed a sense of belief. >> reporter: some might say 15-year-old monet hunter and erica needed belief. they came from a tough background where voice lessons were out of the question. we invited the girls to nbc and told them we were sending a video of them singing to usher's team for possible inclusion in a master class chapter. i never dreamed >> reporter: what they didn't know is he was watching them the entire time, right outside the door. >> there's somebody singing in here. was that you guys? hey!

>> yes. >> yes. >> okay, okay. >> reporter: they were about to get the ultimate master class. >> being able to properly execute a song, isn't always necessarily about hitting perfect notes. it's about the commitment that you convey within the song. right? so you understand what i mean when i say that? >> yeah. >> take your time. >> let's take a picture. >> wow. >> what a moment. >> can i just tell you, usher was this close to missing a flight and his team was like, we've got to do. he talked to the girls for 20 minutes and gave them so much of his time. it's a moment they'll never forget. you know, that's what's so great about this master class. you can have a mentor in these celebrities that are the best in their business.

you get the whole course. you can buy it as a gift. if you want to get a gift card for somebody -- >> great gift idea. >> it's such a genius idea. >> how often do the instructors engage with the students? >> they engage by updating their whole courses. they take some of the feedback, take some of the comments they're getting and work it into an updated version of the course. they're very hands on. >> brilliant idea. great to have so many successful, big people involved in it. >> and share their knowledge. >> they're not holding their talents. i'll show you how i do it. >> love it. thanks. >> you're welcome. a 3-d printer delivering a christmas gift for 12 children who want to be like everyone else.

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we are back now on a sunday morning with our season of kindness. this time of year, santa has countless wish lists to fulfill, but some of the requests are simply impossible, or so it may seem. >> sometimes the big guy has to call in help to make some of the children's dreams some true. kerry sanders tells us about some of the gifts that are too big to fit under any tree. >> reporter: you'd be hard

times, even close up, to learn lila brooks pearson cannot do everything like her friends. lacking a full arm, her mom says she's hitting the age when she, too, wants to tie her own shoes, shoot a bow and arrow, tie the ponytail. >> is the ponytail important? >> she's a soccer player. maybe one day mom is out of town and she wants to do it herself. dad is not capable. >> reporter: lila brooks doesn't like to talk about being different. when she draws herself with her best friend -- >> she has the two hands? >> mm-hmm. >> how about you? >> no. >> no? you have -- >> the arm. >> the arm. >> reporter: a new arm with a motorized hand could cost tens

dollars. out of reach for most. but when the pearsons found a video online about alex, who got his bionic arm delivered by robert downey jr. >> do you know who that is? >> iron man. >> reporter: they wondered -- >> look at that. it's a marriage of robotic technologies. >> reporter: could their daughter get one, too? students at the university of central florida engineered alex's arm for $350. created on 3-d printers. so for the 12 days of christmas, those students are celebrating by providing 12 arms for 12 children. >> this is for you. >> reporter: on the first day of christmas for lila brooks, a good life got even better. >> alex was right there to help her along. >> tell the arm what you're doing. >> our goal is to build confidence with children. when you see the smile, everybody is hooked. >> reporter: for lila brooks, it's a life-changing gift. biotic arms touching hearts. for "today," kerry sanders,

>> perfect christmas gift. i mean, that's -- >> what a story. >> for $300, they were able to do it. >> amazing what 3-d printers can do, changing all those lives. >> we're tat beginning of the 3-d printing revolution. thank you, kerry, for that. bringing in the holiday season on a mission of faith, our man harry smith. doesn't do it often, but this morning he's going to be tooting his own horn. a special surprise as he telling the story behind that red kettle.

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[ cheers and applause ] it's beginning to look a lot like christmas

on the plaza looking forward to their weekly sundays with harry. for more than 100 years, the salvation army provided one particular sound of the season, with its annual red kettle campaign. >> harry smith is here with a look at the charity's history with helping. >> my wife can't go buy a kettle without throwing money in. it's one of those deals. the army is deployed all over the world, helping people in all kinds of ways. >> reporter: you see it first during a disaster, as if by magic, a truck appears where you can get a cup of coffee or a sandwich. i've seen it more times than i can count. it seems like they always get there first. day to day, the army does a lot of things we don't see. drug and alcohol rehabilitation. homeless outreach. housing. hunger relief. veteran services.

prisoners. often times, the salvation army is the safety net that catches folks when they need help the most. frankly, they do a lot of work that's just plain hard. caring, steadfast, they see serving as their duty. while their mission comes from their faith, who they help knows no boundary. >> we're joined now by the salvation army band. gordon and two of his sons here, two, and apar from ireland. gordon, we've known each other a few years. does the need ever decrease, or is the need as great as ever? >> first, i'll say how great it is to be with you again, especially with a tuba in your hands. yes, the need increases year by year, and it becomes more increasingly difficult to raise the money. you see the red kettles this

whether it's a hot meal or toys for a needy family at christmas, and music, which is close to my heart. the hundreds of children around the new york area that we teach week in and week out, the salvation army tries to invest in the lives we come in contact with. >> these guys are busy doing so many good things. where do you go when you finish here? >> to the adult rehabilitation center with the salvation army. >> wow. we have you here with the instruments. we might as well play a little bit, right? okay. we have ellie, our human music stand.

[ applause ] >> oh, there's more. there's more. what do you say? let's give it a shot. "deck the halls" [ applause ] >> fantastic. >> thank you very, very much, gentlemen. appreciate it.

>> merry christmas. thank you, guys. harry smith, hidden talent. very impressive. >> how long have you been playing the tuba? >> i started when i was a little kid. i get it out every six years or so. >> this is for a very good cause. >> right. >> you do wonderful work. thank you for everything you do at christmas and throughout the year. >> tune into "meet the press" this morning when chuck todd sits down with marco rubio. morning. have a great day, everyone. early detection is critical in fighting cancer a misdiagnosis or other errors can have serious consequences. for almost 40 years jacoby & meyers has successfully represented

they need to take care of themselves