I've read the guides of "new to 50, patch x.x" and got nowhere because I dont know half of what they are talking about and it being so late in the game it's almost regretful to have bothered. Here's where I am lost and maybe someone can explain it to me that would be great!.

I seen that I should grind some soldier tomes , which I am but only on the daily duty run, as its too low to do anything else. As for hunts, I assume I could go do them but I need to be a high rank to even get the quest. Not sure how to rank up effectively, I've been spending all my credits on ranking up, but I'm a long ways off from logging the hunt quest. Can you even do the hunt mobs without the quest, will it reward anything worthwhile? I tried to kill one and couldn't as a WHM.

I can't heal any hard modes with my gear. I don't know anyone on the game so I'm at a loss as to what to do. Is it even worth getting gear with a expansion coming or just focus on classes?