Need to Add Sidebar of "Categories" & Remove "Recent Posts-RSS" From My Home

Fellow WP Users,

After many attempts I am unable to:

1. Add my Categories as a left sidebar menu to my home page (and all the posts on my site.

2. Remove the “Recent Posts – RSS” feed from the home page of my site.

I am new to WP. Precise instructions on how to resolve these two otherwide simple items is greatly appreciated.

Thank you, Lawrence Wilson