I'm using LaTeX to create my PDF, but the page size comes out as 8.26 X 11.69. How do I change it to 8.5 X 11?

Make sure that in BOTH the editing program (e.g. "LED") AND LaTeX compiling program (e.g. "Miktex"), that the paper preference is set to Letter, not A4. As long as that is set properly, you don't have to specify any paper sizes in the actual .tex files.