Android :: Manual - Navigate And Customize Appearance Of OS

I just got a new Verizon Android by LG and it came with no manual. I mean there was something, but it was so basic, that it was practically useless. I kind of learned how to move around things and how to make it work, so now I have some concept how to work with my phone. However, there are some things I cannot figure out.
Is there a manual how to navigate and customize the appearance of the OS?

For now I have two simple questions:

1. There is a system bar with some icons on the top of the home screen. On the left there are three icons:

(a) one red with a white person in it,

(b) one with a sheet of bent paper going into something, and

(c) one I don't get and which came up right now - red phone handle and a white arrow bouncing of it. And the last one is puzzling me, because it just came up.

Is there a manual that explains all that?

Another thing - I am getting beeps every once a while, telling me that something is happening. I look - sometimes it's a missed call, sometimes a notification on Facebook, sometimes a new message, and sometimes it is something I have no clue where to find it. I really need a manual. Badly! Plus the phone goes black and locks after one second all the time, even when I am still not done with things, and makes me have to unlock it too often. Is there any complete and comprehensive manual that really teaches me how to use and customize the system?