Titles only on index.php

I would like to have a small welcome – etc.. blurb at the top of the index.php and then have just the linked titles of the most recent posts. Titles only. I am using ihmotep theme. I am very new to php. so please be gentle.

Here is the index.php;

<?php get_header(); ?>
<!– start “the loop” –>
<?php if (have_posts()) : while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
<div class=”post”>
<h3 class=”storytitle” id=”post-<?php the_ID(); ?>”>” rel=”bookmark”><?php the_title(); ?><span class=”commentnum”><?php comments_popup_link(‘0’, ‘1’, ‘%’); ?></span><?php edit_post_link(‘(e)’); ?>
<span class=”postinfo”><?php the_author(); ?> posted in <?php the_category(‘, ‘); ?> on <span class=”date”><?php the_time(‘F jS, Y’) ?></span></span></h3>

<?php the_content(__(‘(more…)’)); ?>

<div class=”feedback”>
<?php wp_link_pages(); ?>

</div>

<!–
<?php trackback_rdf(); ?>
–>
</div>

<?php comments_template( is_single() ); // Get wp-comments.php template ?>

<?php endwhile; else: ?>
<?php _e(‘Sorry, no posts matched your criteria.’); ?>
<?php endif; ?>
<!– end the loop –>

<?php get_sidebar(); ?>

<?php get_footer(); ?>