Is It Required to Obtain an Attorney

State: Missouri
County: Schuyler
I am attempting to change my last name as well as my wife's. I usually can find anything on the web but have come up only with a few bits of information. One thing I did come across was that I could do it myself by going to the county courthouse and getting the forms from them and filing with the appropriate fees then placing an ad in the newspaper showing name change. I went to the courthouse and was told that they could not tell me anything and that I had to hire a lawyer and it could not be done by myself at all. They told me they did not have any forms I could get and only were provided to a lawyer if they requested it.

My question is this: Can I actually do it myself? If so where do I find all the information to do it, how do I get past the lazy courthouse staff? Is it recommended to pay an online service to provide me with the paperwork and instructions. I would go to another county to see if they have more knowledgeable people there willing to help me but from one of the places I got information from it said I had to do it in the county I resided in, is this true?

Thank you in advance for your help,
Albert