The Savior taught that there is not necessarily a tie between sin and natural disaster, that a person’s being persecuted or plagued or constantly pummelled with calamity and tragedy is no reason to suppose that he or she is guilty of transgression against God or his laws (see Luke 13:1-5; John 9:1-3).
Joseph Smith explained:
“It is a false idea that the Saints will escape all the judgments, whilst the wicked suffer; for all flesh is subject to suffer, and ’the righteous shall hardly escape;’ still many of the Saints will escape, for the just shall live by faith; yet many of the righteous shall fall a prey to disease, to pestilence, etc., by reason of the weakness of the flesh, and yet be saved in the Kingdom of God.
“So that it is an unhallowed principle to say that such and such have transgressed because they have been preyed upon by disease or death, for all flesh is subject to death; and the Savior has said, ’Judge not, lest ye by judge.’”
(Teachings, pp. 162-63.)