My question involves name change laws in the State of: Missouri

I recently married my same-sex partner in another state, and for the time being our marriage is not recognized here. I have gone ahead and filled out and filed the petition for name change with my local court, and the clerk seemed to have no idea what was next. She took the paperwork, the filing fee, but could not tell me when/if there will be a hearing or how long all of this is expected to take. She didn't even give me a receipt. She said she'd mail it to me as she was in the middle of working on some other things. I live in a small town of about 2000. The only thing she really said was that lawyers usually submit the paperwork (no kidding, but I feel I know how to fill out paperwork and file it. Never thought I might need a lawyer just because she doesn't know what she is doing, however), and that I would have to submit something to the paper for publication of new name (I've read the official how-to site for missouri which states the clerk takes care of this). So here I sit with no information. I suppose in a day or two I will call or go back down there, but any help from anyone on this?