Help with my Pantech Jest Verizon phone?

I have a Pantech Jest cell phone (I'm on the Verizon Wireless network) and I am having a major PROBLEM. My phone just froze one day and turned to the Verizon Wireless screen. I took the battery out and put it back in and turned it back on, but it just stayed on that screen for like a day. Then the next day it would flash dead and then back to that same screen. Then it wouldn't even try, it just turned black after a few seconds. So I ordered a new battery for it. I got that today, thinking everything would be perfectly fine after that. But I plugged it in to charge (when the battery came it was only half charged), and it froze again and is doing the same thing! I don't think I get an upgrade for a while. What am I supposed to do??? T-T I'm dying without my phone because I just moved and I wanna talk to my friends! Help!